SOCAN launches Dataclef services to address music rights needs of international clients

Story by SOCAN | Monday October 22nd, 2018

Drawing on years of strategic planning, including the acquisitions of Audiam, MediaNet, Royalty Guru, and SODRAC, SOCAN today launched Dataclef, the new services arm of the organization.

Dataclef has created what is believed to be the most authoritative global music services platform ever built, empowering customers to thrive in the hyper-competitive modern music industry with revolutionary, fully-customizable service suites that simplify complex back-office and technology tasks. Relying on SOCAN’s well-established data management expertise, Datcalef has developed a unique, comprehensive, reliable music database from more than 200 world territories.

“Dataclef is a milestone for SOCAN and the music industry, on a global level,” said SOCAN Group CEO Eric Baptiste. “For the first time ever, organizations can go to one place for state-of-the-art license administration, worldwide reporting, and intelligent royalty tracking and delivery, improving their efficiency and bottom line to return superior results.”

With “Dataclef Suite,” collection organizations and rights holders can unlock maximum back-office return on investment with flexible and infinitely scalable multi-territory, multi-right licensing and royalty tools.

Other products and services will be announced in due course, as Dataclef solutions meet the high-scale needs of global music use across the entire digital supply chain. At every stage, Dataclef offers tools to increase efficiency, lower costs, manage liability, supercharge the user experience, and increase payment volume and accuracy to rights holders.

SOCAN’s services team, led by Dataclef Chief Operating Officer & Head of Sales Janice Scott, will operate at arm’s length from SOCAN’s core business teams, and on segregated systems, ensuring complete privacy and confidentiality for all clients.

As the global music services company of the future, Dataclef actively invests in forward-looking technologies that allow customers to benefit from more accurate, transparent data and payments, and leverage high-tech, intelligent business tools for music use. Dataclef is a bilingual organization (English and French), and will be expanding language support to Spanish and Arabic in the coming months.

“SOCAN has asserted a position in leading the global transformation of music rights,” said Scott. “Dataclef is the latest strategic move forward for the SOCAN Group, resulting from years of investment in technology development and acquisition, integration of complementary leading-edge companies, and, most importantly, the world’s best collective team of industry experts.”

SOCAN also announced that Dataclef is now providing back office services through the Dataclef Suite of products and services to facilitate rights management for IPRS – the Indian Performing Rights Society Limited, India’s only registered copyright society administering underlying works. Dataclef will administer mandates, process all types of music usage data, and work with IPRS to deliver royalty revenue to its members in the region. Dataclef’s powerful data management and cleansing systems will ensure maximum accuracy and timely payments.

“IPRS is excited to work with Dataclef to leverage their data and systems for maximized efficiency and royalty delivery to our members,” said Javed Akhtar, Chairman of IPRS. “Dataclef’s revolutionary systems and database are unlike anything we’ve had access to before. We anticipate many years of mutual success working with their impressive technology and team.”

SOCAN announced in May 2018 that the company had struck a services deal with the Dutch Caribbean performing rights organization, Ducapro, which will now be served by Dataclef.

Music in the air at Manitoba Showcase 2018

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday October 23rd, 2018

SOCAN members Royal Wood and Andrew Collins are just a few of the musicians set to perform at the multi-disciplinary Manitoba Showcase 2018, to be held at the William Glesby Centre and the Portage and District Arts Centre in Portage la Prairie, MB, from Oct. 25-28, 2018.
The 18th annual edition of the conference will present five different musical performance showcases, featuring 15 acts from across Canada; daily music and arts seminars/workshops; and a three-day visual art exhibition. Manitoba Showcase 2018 aims to bring together communities, arts organizations, artists, and the public, all in celebration of artistic ability.

This year marks the launch of the Indigenous Special Project, created by the Manitoba Arts Network and funded by Canadian Heritage. The program provides financial assistance for musicians from five Indigenous communities to attend Manitoba Showcase 2018, not only as delegates, but also to evaluate fellow musicians who they might engage to play shows in their home communities.

For the music showcases lineup, click here. For a full conference schedule, click here. For tickets, click here.

Photo by Jeff Knights

SOCAN’s Michael McCarty to be inducted into CMW Hall of Fame

Story by Howard Druckman | Friday October 19th, 2018

Michael McCarty, SOCAN’s Chief Membership & Business Development Officer, will be inducted into the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame at Canadian Music Week, in Toronto, on May 9, 2019

At SOCAN, McCarty is responsible for leading a department of 40 people across Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Nashville, engaged in building a roster of 150,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers that includes leading Canadian music creators such as Drake, Alessia Cara, The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, Frank Dukes, Murda Beatz, Keith Power, Andrew Lockington, Bryan Adams, and Sarah McLachlan. His mandate includes creating and delivering cutting-edge, 21st Century services to current and future SOCAN members, and ensuring that SOCAN extends its place as a vital leader among global music rights organizations, and the choice of Canada’s music creators.

After beginning his career as a recording engineer/producer, working with Jack Richardson and Bob Ezrin, McCarty became Creative Manager at ATV Music in Toronto. Also prior to joining SOCAN, Michael served as President of EMI Music Publishing Canada and President of Canadian rights management company, ole, where he played a key role in the development and international success of many notable SOCAN members. McCarty and his teams have boosted the careers of such artists like Sum 41, Billy Talent, Three Days Grace, Dallas Green, Nelly Furtado, Alexisonfire, Matthew Good, Moist/David Usher, the Pursuit of Happiness, Len, and many more.

With more than 25 years’ experience in the music industry, including his service on the Board of Directors of SOCAN, he was a member of the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA), past director for the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), and a founding director of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Michael will be honoured for his achievements and longstanding career in the music industry at the annual Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards Gala Dinner, at Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto.