Music Contracts in the Streaming Age
Law and Policy in the European Union and the United Kingdom

The book analyses how the law affects and should affect contracts with musicians in the age of music streaming.

Jozefien Vanherpe (Author)

9781009394703, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 January 2025

376 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.5 cm, 0.69 kg

Dive into the intricate world of music contracts in the streaming age with this insightful book. The author succeeds as no other to unravel the complexities of the evolving music industry landscape. Essential reading for legal professionals advising musicians and any relevant stakeholder on applicable EU and UK law and policy! Marie-Christine Janssens, Professor Emeritus, KU Leuven

This book focuses on music industry contracts and the contractual dynamics between composing and/or performing musicians and their primary partners in the digitised music industry, namely music publishers and record companies, taking account of the ubiquitous nature of music streaming. It focuses on the question of how the legal framework intervenes and should intervene in such contracts, both in theory and in practice. Its objective is to contribute to a level playing field that counteracts the imbalance in bargaining power between musicians and their corporate partners in a proportionate way. The book draws upon an analysis of copyright contract law at the European Union and national level, as well as relevant principles of general contract law, competition law and related applicable rules that curb business-to-business contract terms and trade practices characterised as unreasonable. The book studies the applicable legal framework in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.This title is part of the Flip it Open Programme and may also be available Open Access. Check our website Cambridge Core for details.

1. Prelude
2. The music industry in the streaming age
3. Law and policy in the streaming age
4. Negotiation and formation of the contract
5. Performance of the contract
6. Termination of the contract
7. Application of the legal framework in practice
8. Conclusions
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Intellectual property law [LNR]