SoundExchange to launch online process to make claims on recordings

By Emmanuel Legrand

US rights society SoundExchange will introduce in November new features on its portal that will allow artists and sound recording owners to better manage their existing repertoire and to make new claims on recordings in SoundExchange's databases. 

  "This marks the most significant update to our client portal since it was introduced in 2014," wrote SoundExchange Director of accounts services Michael Darpino and Director of rights management Scott Berenson in a blogpost.

  The new features will be part of the “My Catalog” section of SoundExchange Direct (SXDirect). The updates will allow sound recording copyright owners (SRCO) to self-manage overlaps and disputes with other SRCOs. Through the "Search & Claim" feature, SoundExchange members will be able, for the first time, to search and make claims in SoundExchange's complete database of sound recording International Standard Recording Codes (ISRC) and usage data that has not yet been matched to sound recordings but are available to claim.

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  "By moving this process from our bi-annual 'email rounds' to the SXDirect platform, we will be able to bring new overlaps to your attention in near real-time and reduce resolution times by months," wrote Darpino and Berenson.

  SoundExchange is also introducing a major changes in the way SRCOs can submit their sound recording ISRCs catalogues via SXDirect. The platform will feature in-app validations that will "dramatically reduce the processing time for their ISRCs to appear in our repertoire database."

  Noted Darpino and Berenson: "Together, these updates will provide you with a transparent view of all sound recordings that are currently associated with your account and enhance our ability to collaborate with you to ensure that you are collecting all of the SoundExchange royalties for which you are owed – accurately and on time."