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List of Acronyms

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AURA

Formerly the royalty paid for the public performance and broadcast of records had been distributed solely to record companies but since performers have become legally entitled to a proportion of this income a plethora of organisations has emerged to offer to administer this right on their behalf. AURA (The Association of United Recording Artists) is one of a number of organisations set up to administer the payments due to performers on records.

ASCI
The Association of Songwriters and Composers of Ireland, is an information service. Newly formed and at its embryonic stage. Our aim is to tackle important issues such as: Perpetuity of Copyright and a higher content ruling on all licensed radio stations in Ireland for Irish songwriters and composers works.

BMR

British Music Rights - BMR is a lobbying body aimed at improving the legal framework within which everyone in the music industry operates. It addresses the issues both within Britain and on a European level, pressing for legislation in such areas as improved anti-piracy measures or stronger copyright enforcement measures.

BPI

BPI is the umbrella group for the entire record industry in the UK. It aims to raise the profile of recorded music. It is best known for the annual 'Brits' awards which have, alongside the Mercury Music Prize and the MTV Awards, done much to glitzify music in the same way the Oscars did for film.

CAI

While the Copyright Association of Ireland is not primarily concerned with music, it is committed to the improvement of the conditions under which all copyright owners operate. They run lectures and seminars on copyright issues and act as a forum for copyright owners, copyright users and lawyers working in the field.

FMC

The Federation of Music Collectives is an all-Ireland umbrella group set up to promote, develop and encourage the work of music collectives in facilitating the needs of grass roots musicians. FMC also provide an information and advice service for musicians.

IMRO

The Irish Music Rights Organisation is the body which administers the performing right on behalf of its members, be they publishers or individual members. If you are a songwriter whose work is performed in public or broadcast then membership is a must.

IRMA

The Irish Recorded Music Association is an umbrella group for the Irish record industry. In addition to its lobbying role IRMA also commissions the charts for Ireland and organises the annual IRMA Awards. IRMA has recently set up the IRMA Trust which provides instruments to young performers who would not otherwise be able to afford them. This may yet prove to be one of the most vital contributions to the future of Irish music.

MCPS

MCPS administer the mysterious 'mechanical' right in music. The mechanical right in fact means the right to make a recording or physical copy of a musical work. So if someone is releasing your music on record, or if they wish to use it in a film or advertising campaign or store it on a computer somewhere, membership of MCPS is a must. Like IMRO, MCPS operates worldwide through a network of related organisations.

MPAI

The Music Publishers' Association of Ireland is the umbrella body for publishers whose catalogue of musical works is used in Ireland.

MU

The Musicians' Union is the organisation which presses for improved working conditions for professional musicians, especially those who make a living from session work where MU Guidelines will determine what they are paid for a session and what breaks they will have etc. The MU also offers a legal advice service to members.

RAAP

Recorded Artist and Performers is a not-for-profit Irish Performers Association which will collect and distribute Royalties to Irish Performers for public plays of their Material.

PPI

Phonographic Performance Ireland is the umbrella body for record companies in Ireland and it administers the performance right in its members' releases. It licences broadcasters to use records, as well as premises where records are played, and distributes this income to its members and to those artists who have performed on records released in Ireland.

PRS

The Performing Right Society is the equivalent of IMRO in the UK, and in fact before the establishment of IMRO was the body which administered the performing right in Ireland.