Private copy royalties up for grabs

A new earnings mechanism for artists has been set up, and WordPlay T. Jay aims to help everyone understand how to cash in.

The Audio Home Recording Act (AHRA) gives royalties to artists who own recording devices and make home recordings.

According to SoundExchange, which is distributing the payments, many countries allow artists and labels to “receive royalties as compensation for the private ‘home taping’ uses of their recordings. The manufacturers of home recording equipment and sound carriers (tapes, discs, smart devices) pay into a fund, that is distributed to artists and labels.”

Simply put, any device you own that can record audio allows you to collect a royalty from that device being produced.

The AHRA allows artists to collect that in the United States. To collect, follow these steps:

1. Sign up for SoundExchange.

2. Log into SoundExchange as soon as you are able. You can also fill out paper forms, and it is best to send a blank check to allow for direct deposits.

3. Opt into AHRA authorization.

To see how to do this online, check out T. Jay’s video below (skip to 3:10 for the authorization video).