Australian Children's Music Foundation National Songwriting Competition Now Open!

The 2017 National Songwriting Competition entries are now open!

Every year, every student from every school across Australia is invited to put pen to paper and enter their original song for a chance to win prize-money that can be allocated towards musical equipment and tuition, as part of the ACMF’s annual National Songwriting Competition. The annual National Songwriting Competition is a nationwide initiative designed to encourage creativity and self-expression through songwriting. “Songwriting is a highly creative process. We want kids to free their imagination and engage with learning in a fun way” said Don Spencer, Founder & CEO.  

AMPAL is proud to once again be sponsoring the National Songwriting Competition.  AMPAL General Manager, Matthew O'Sullivan, remarked that "Encouraging the songwriters of tomorrow is extremely important, and AMPAL is very pleased to support the ACMF and the National Songwriting Competition, open to all school students in Australia.  We can't wait to hear the great songs that will be created."

Entries close 20 October 2017 and entry forms and other information is available at: http://acmf.com.au/national-songwriting-competition/ 

Nominations for 2017 AMPAL Board Elections Now Open

In accordance with the Australasian Music Publishers' Association Limited (AMPAL) constitution, nominations for the position of board director can be received up until 60 days prior to the date of the annual general meeting (AGM).

The date for the 2017 AMPAL AGM is Wednesday 22 November 2017. Accordingly, nominations for the position of AMPAL board director must be received by the Company Secretary by no later than 5pm AEST Friday 22 September 2017.

Details of nominees will be provided to all eligible full members prior to the AGM and in accordance with the AMPAL constitution. The constitution is available at http://www.ampal.com.au/ampal-constitution.

For a copy of the AMPAL Board Nomination Form and to discuss your eligibility for nomination, please contact the AMPAL Company Secretary and General Manager, Matthew O’Sullivan, email matthew.osullivan@ampal.com.au.

Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry valued at more than AUD$235 million

The 2016 survey of AMPAL members has valued the Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry at just over AUD$235 million for the year. The survey included data from the industry collective management society APRA AMCOS, but it only related to royalties flowing through to music publishing companies and did not include money paid directly to songwriters and composers. AMPAL members provided confidential information to auditors Rosenfeld & Kant who aggregated the data. 

Free Is Not Fair campaign launched

The Copyright Agency and other Australian organisations representing musicians, authors, visual artists, educators, screen producers and publishers have joined forces to mount the #FreeIsNotFair campaign in response to a push by Big Tech and large organisations to water down Australia’s copyright laws.

The campaign’s website features leading Australian creators, such as musicians Jimmy Barnes and Josh Pyke, actor, director and writer Leah Purcell, mambo artist and musician Reg Mombassa and award-winning authors Anna Funder, Michael Robotham and Hazel Edwards, and encourages people to write to MPs and Senators to voice concerns about recent proposals to overhaul Australia’s copyright laws..

See https://freeisnotfair.org/ for more information.

Chris Butler elected new Chair of ICMP

ICMP (the International Confederation of Music Publishers) has elected Chris Butler, MPA UK, as its Chair taking over from Andrew Jenkins, Universal Music Publishing. At the meeting at MIDEM, the ICMP Board also elected its new Executive. Nicolas Galibert (CSDEM France) and Goetz von Einem (BMG) will serve as Vice Chairs, and Ralph Peer (NMPA US) and Rolf Budde (DMV Germany) as Treasurer and Secretary respectively.

Chris Butler is the worldwide Head of Publishing at leading indie The Music Sales Group, Chairman of MCPS and a board member of PRS, ICMP and the UK MPA.

More information: https://www.icmp-ciem.org/news/chris-butler-elected-new-icmp-chair-during-midem

Applications for the Screen Music Awards now open

Applications are now open for the 2017 Screen Music Awards, presented by APRA AMCOS in conjunction with the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC). The ceremony acknowledges excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition.

Applications are open across ten categories:

Best Music for an Advertisement, Best Music for a Documentary, Best Music for a Short Film, Best Soundtrack Album, Best Original Song Composed for the Screen, Best Music For Children's Television, Best Television Theme, Best Music for a Television Series or Serial, Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie and Feature Film Score of the Year.

Applications Tuesday 11 July, 5pm AEST.

More information: http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2017-awards/screen-music-awards/ 

APRA AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle AM to step down in 2018

The APRA and AMCOS Boards have announced that long-standing CEO Brett Cottle AM will step down from the role in June 2018.

APRA Chair, Jenny Morris said:

After 27 years leading the organisation we quite understand why Brett has reached the point where he is keen to pursue other priorities in life. He will nevertheless be missed enormously by the Boards, Management, staff and membership of APRA AMCOS.

During Brett’s tenure, royalty collections and distributions have increased seven-fold and the organisation is now recognised as one of the world’s leading copyright collecting societies. 

In a career that began as the organisation’s first in-house counsel in the late 1970s, Brett has championed the cause of songwriters’ and composers’ rights for more than 40 years and instilled and sustained a culture of dedicated service within APRA and AMCOS, of which we on the Board are immensely proud.

AMCOS Chair, Ian James said:

The operational merger of APRA and AMCOS is today taken for granted, but when it was effected in 1997 Brett’s vision and leadership were critical to its success. The positive and productive spirit in which the two Boards have co-operated seamlessly ever since is testament to the culture created and fostered by Brett.

Internationally the organisation commands enormous respect, reflected in the fact that Brett is the only Australian to have been elected Chair of the International Confederation of Authors’ Societies (CISAC), a role in which he served for two consecutive terms.

In a statement to APRA AMCOS staff Brett said that he would leave with some sadness but enormous optimism about the future of the organisation; noting that 2017 financial results would again be at a record level. Having worked for both societies for over 40 years he noted that nobody is really entitled to such good fortune in their working lives.

While Brett will continue in the CEO role for the next 12 months, the APRA and AMCOS Boards have announced the appointment of the international recruiting firm Odgers Berndtson to undertake the search for a new CEO.

Said Jenny Morris:

We are determined to undertake the best and most thorough search to find the right candidate to fill this incredibly important job in the Australasian music industry, to ensure that the interests of Australia’s and New Zealand’s songwriters, composers and publishers continue to be represented in the ablest and most effective manner.

Entries now open for the 2017 APRA Silver Scroll Awards

Entries are now open for the 2017 APRA Silver Scroll Awards. The Awards celebrate New Zealand’s songwriters and composers. Alongside the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award, also presented on the night are the APRA Maioha Award, the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award and the APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award. APRA will also honour those that have had a significant impact on New Zealand's life and culture with inductions into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

The 2017 Awards will take place on Thursday 28th September at the Dunedin Town Hall.

2017 APRA Music Award Winners Announced

The 2017 APRA Music Award winners have been announced in Sydney on 3 March.

Harley Streten (Flume) (published by AMPAL members Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic) received three awards: Dance Work of the Year and Most Played Australian Work for Never Be Like You feat. Kai and Songwriter of the Year.

The prestigious Song of the Year award was taken out by Oliver Perry (D.D Dumbo) (publishd by AMPAL member Mushroom Music) for his work Satan.  

Also on the evening, legendary songwriter, storyteller and activist, Archie Roach, was presented with the 2017 Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music.

The full list of winners is available at: http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2017-awards/apra-music-awards/full-list-of-winners/

AMPAL congratulates all its award winning members, all writers and award recipients!

Parliamentary Friends of Australian Music rock Canberra

AMPAL has attended the second Parliamentary Friends of Australian Music event at Parliament House along with APRA AMCOS, ARIA, PPCA and other industry associations, and songwriters and artists Diesel, Montaigne, Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool/Mondo Rock), Megan Washington, Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe) and Daryl Braithwaite. 

In Canberra to stress the importance of copyright and government support for the contemporary music industry, these songwriters performed in front of more than 300 staffers, senators and MPs.

The delegates discussed their views on why the Productivity Commission’s recent recommendations to expand Australia’s copyright safe harbour provisions and introduce a US-style ‘fair use’ exception into the Copyright Act are a blunt attack on Australia’s creative industries. General Manager of AMPAL, Matthew O'Sullivan, noted ''we urge the Federal Government to refer any proposed copyright safe harbour amendment to the Department of Communications and the Arts for a comprehensive review and evidence-based inquiry; and full consultation with the creative industries.'  

2017 APRA Music Award Nominees Announced

The nominees for the 2017 APRA Music Awards have been announced, with AMPAL members' songwriter and composer partners receiving a range of nominations.  

Leading the nominations is Flume (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic) with four nominations in the categories of Most Played Australian Work and Dance Work of the Year for both Say It and Never Be Like You. 

Sia (Sony/ATV Music Publishing) has received three nominations this year - Most Played Australian Work for Cheap Thrills and Pop Work of the Year for Alive and Cheap Thrills.

In the Song of the Year category, the nominees are:

Title: Adore
Artist: Amy Shark       
Writers:  Amy Shark / Mark Landon pka M-Phazes*
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing*                

Title: Come Home (Cardinal Pell)
Artist: Tim Minchin    
Writer: Tim Minchin            
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Navel Enterprises    

Title: Pool Party
Artist: Julia Jacklin    
Writer: Julia Jacklin            
Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Satan
Artist: D.D Dumbo    
Writer: Oliver Perry            
Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Skeleton Tree
Artist: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds    
Writers: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis            
Publisher:  Kobalt Music Publishing

The full list of nominees is available at: http://apraamcos.com.au/news/2017/march/2017-apra-music-award-nominees-announced/

The 2017 APRA Music Awards will be held in Sydney on Monday, 3 April.

AMPAL congratulates all its APRA Award nominated members!

Australian content industry units to reject Productivity Commission report

We are members of Australia’s content, creative and entertainment sectors, producing Australian work and telling Australian stories across media, screen, music, literature and the arts. 

Our sector makes a significant contribution to Australian culture, jobs and the economy employing hundreds of thousands of Australians to produce some of Australia’s best loved stories.  

We are united against the key recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s final report into intellectual property and copyright which are based on faulty premises and misunderstandings.

We support sensible reforms to the Copyright Act that benefit both Australian audiences and Australian creators. However, the Productivity Commission’s recommendations, including the introduction of a US-style ‘Fair Use’ exception and expansion of the Safe Harbour provision to Big Tech companies will make it easier for these large organisations to use Australian content without fair payment and will mean less production of Australian stories.

Australian creators have a right to receive fair payment for their work and Australian audiences have a right to take part in their own cultural life. The changes to Australian copyright laws being pushed by the Productivity Commission, large organisations and big technology companies will greatly diminish these rights.

The Productivity Commission’s report takes an unusually hostile approach towards Australian content rooted in a naivety about just how fragile the system is and what is necessary to encourage and support Aussie creativity. 

Intellectual property is an economic driver and facilitator of innovation. It enables the development and commercialisation of clever ideas and a return on investment in production, marketing and distribution.

This is why the report has united the Australian creative community like no other report in recent times.  If the Productivity Commission’s recommendations were implemented it would cause a serious reduction in the amount of Australian content produced.  A report by PwC says the implementation of some of their recommendations would smash GDP to the tune over 1 billion dollars.

The next generation of Australians should be able to grow up inspired by musicians like Jessica Mauboy and Jimmy Barnes, watching movies like Mad Max and Lion and TV shows like Home and Away and Offspring, reading books like Possum Magic and Cloudstreet and seeing art from people like Brett Whiteley and Tracey Moffatt.

We call on the Australian Government and parliament to rule out these proposed changes from the Productivity Commission. 

AMPAL elects BMG Australia Managing Director Heath Johns to its board of directors, awards first AMPAL Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Publishing to Alberts

Left to right: David Albert, Alberts, Fifa Riccobono, Alberts, and Matthew O'Sullivan, AMPAL

At its recent annual general meeting, the Australasian Music Publishers' Association Limited (AMPAL) elected Heath Johns,­ Managing Director of BMG Australia to its board of directors. Re-elected to the board were Marianna Annas (ABC Music Publishing), Philip Burn (Hal Leonard Australia), Peter Hebbes (Hebbes Music Group) and Steve McPherson (Hillsong Music Publishing).  David Albert, former CEO of J. Albert & Son Pty Ltd (Alberts) stepped down from the board at the AGM.  Mr Albert had been a director of AMPAL since 2010.  Matthew Capper (Warner/Chappell Music Australia) and Clive Hodson (Perfect Pitch Publishing) were returned as Chair and Deputy Chair, respectively.  

Also at the AGM, Mr Capper and General Manager of AMPAL, Matthew O'Sullivan, presented the first ever AMPAL Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Publishing to Alberts.  The award was received by Mr Albert and former CEO Fifa Riccobono and recognises the immense contribution made by Alberts to the Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry, and Alberts' work on behalf of its songwriter and composer partners.  Mr O'Sullivan commented at the meeting, "as a founding member of AMPAL in 1956, there is no more deserving recipient of this award than Alberts, in recognition of Alberts' extraordinary achievements as a music publisher.  Alberts has launched the careers of some of Australia's most loved songwriters and composers."  It was announced in July of this year that BMG and the Albert family had reached an agreement for BMG to acquire the 131 year old Australian music publishing and recording company, J Albert & Son Pty Ltd.   

At the meeting, Mr O'Sullivan also spoke about current copyright issues facing music publishers, and called on the Australian Government to reject changes to the rights’ framework, particularly the proposed outdated changes to the safe harbour scheme and the introduction of a broad fair use exception, which will chip away at a music creator’s right to be remunerated fairly for their creative endeavours.

Sounds Australia receives Federal Government funding

Sounds Australia have announced that the Federal Government has committed to funding SOUNDS AUSTRALIA for the next four years. The Department of Communications and the Arts will provide $1.16m ($290k per year) for SOUNDS AUSTRALIA to continue its vital work helping Australian artists access international markets.

Since its inception in 2009, SOUNDS AUSTRALIA has participated at 50 different international events in 53 cities across 20 countries.

The initiative creates game-changing business opportunities for artists and their representatives in various territories and has played an integral role in the global success of countless Australian artists.  

Millie Millgate, Executive Producer, Sounds Australia said: “Today’s news that the Department of Communications and the Arts is supporting Sounds Australia for the next four years is exactly the result we’ve been hoping for. It’s testament to the value of the national export platform and subsequent success Australian artists are enjoying around the world."

AMPAL provides funding support to Sounds Australia. 

More information is available at: http://soundsaustralia.com.au/index.php/sounds-australia-receives-federal-government-funding/

2016 Screen Music Awards winners

The 2016 Screen Music Awards have been presented by APRA AMCOS and the AGSC (Australian Guild of Screen Composers) at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.  The awards acknowledge excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition across 12 categories. 

AMPAL member Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia publishes composer, Sally Seltmann, who with partner Darren Seltmann won Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
with their composition Dancing in the Darkness from The Letdown.  The full list of award winners is available at http://apraamcos.com.au/news/2016/november/2016-screen-music-award-winners-announced/.

Congratulations to all nominees and winners!

Music industry calls on Government to reject changes to Australia's rights' framework

In a public statement to the Australian Government, many members of the Australian music community have called for the Government to reject changes to Australia's rights' framework, particularly outdated changes to the safe harbour scheme and the introduction of a broad fair use exception, which will chip away at a music creator’s right to be remunerated fairly for their creative endeavours.

The Government has previously released an exposure draft of the Copyright Amendment (Disability Access and Other Measures) Bill, which contains changes to the copyright safe harbour regime.  These changes have the potential to significantly harm Australia's creative content community, including musicians.  

Music Rights Australia's General Manager, Vanessa Hutley, has stated that the changes "will undermine an artist’s and a creator’s ability to choose where when and how their music can be enjoyed by people.  A safe harbour that actually represents the current digital environment, and which is developed through consultation, will be something that actually benefits all."

AMPAL General Manager, Matthew O'Sullivan, added that "we are very concerned by the proposed changes, which have the potential to harm music publishers, the majority of whom are small businesses, and their songwriter and composer partners.  At a time when the US and EU are specifically looking at the issues around their safe harbour laws and engaging in active consultation, we are calling for the Government to drop the currently proposed safe harbour changes - which are based on outdated law - from the Copyright Amendment Bill and to consult with the industry to ensure that the laws are fit for purpose today."

Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition winners announced!

Melbourne singer-songwriter Gretta Ray has won the 2016 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition with her song Drive.  

Courtesy of APRA AMCOS and Alberts, Gretta received A$50,000 - the largest first prize for any songwriting competition in the world.  18 year old Gretta first had the industry buzzing after winning triple j Unearthed High in August.

AMPAL was proud to once again sponsor the $10,000 second prize of the competition, which went to Award-winning Queensland songwriter Emma Louise with her song Underflow.

Third place was a tie between Sydney’s Tigertown for Lonely Cities and American songwriter Tia P. for 4 Seats From Beyoncé, with both receiving A$5,000 supplied by AEG Ogden and APRA AMCOS.

Applicants paid an entry fee of $50 per submission with all money raised going directly to Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia.  This year’s competition raised an astounding $196,700 from entries, with another $3,300 generously donated by a former recipient of the prize taking the final amount raised to $200,000 for this very worthy cause.

All winners will also take home a microphone prize pack thanks to Shure.

Gretta Ray joins previous winners of this prestigious competition, Husky Gawenda (2014), Isabella Manfredi (2013), Kimbra Johnson (2011) and Megan Washington (2009).

The complete winners’ details are:

1st Place – A$50,000: Drive
Gretta Ray (Unpublished)

2nd Place – A$10,000: Underflow
Emma Louise (Published by Kobalt Music Services Australia Pty Ltd)

Joint 3rd Place – A$5,000: Lonely Cities
Tigertown (Charlene Collins/Christopher Collins published by Second Pressing Pty Ltd /Thomas Schleiter (BMI) published by These Are Pulse Songs (subpublished by Native Tongue Music Publishing)

Joint 3rd Place – A$5,000: 4 Seats from Beyoncé
Tia P. (Jaraed Deal (ASCAP) published by Romanical Music/Tia Parchman (ASCAP) published by Shirt N Drawlz/Luther Ridley (ASCAP) published by Live It Up Publishing)

Visit www.vandayoungsongcomp.com for more information including the terms and conditions of the competition and a list of competition judges.

Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition finalists announced

The 90 finalists of the 2016 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition have now been announced.

The competition had 2,412 applicants from 20 different countries who ranged in age from 82 years to 11 years, with a total of 3,934 songs submitted.

The finalists are a diverse group that includes established talent and new kids on the block across a variety of genres. Highlighting that range are the seven artists with two songs in the shortlist; Client Liaison, Emma Louise, Gordi, Katrina Burgoyne, King Social, Louis Schoorl and Oh Pep!  

Other shortlisted artists include BIGSOUND buzz acts Middle Kids, Sampa the Great and Tash Sultana; recent triple j Unearthed High winner Gretta Ray; and well-known names like Abbe May, Jarryd James, Josh Pyke, M-Phazes, Ngaiire, Sheppard and Urthboy. 

Applicants paid an entry fee of $50 per submission with all money raised going directly to Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia.  We are delighted to reveal that this year’s competition raised an astounding $196,700 from entries.  Another $3,300 was generously donated by a former recipient of the prize, taking the final amount raised to $200,000 for this very worthy cause.

This year’s winning songwriter/s will take home a cash prize of A$50,000 and join the eminent company of past winners Megan Washington (2009), Kimbra (2011), The Preatures (2013) and Husky Gawenda (2014).

AMPAL is proud to once again be sponsoring the second prize of A$10,000, with a third prize of A$5,000 also on offer.  All winners will also take home a microphone prize pack from Shure.

The three prize winners will be announced on 27 October, 2016.  The list of finalists is available at: http://apraamcos.com.au/vandayoungsongcomp/2016-shortlist/.  Congratulations to all finalists!

2016 APRA Silver Scroll Awards winners announced in Auckland

The 2016 APRA Silver Scroll Awards presented in Auckland have been announced, with AMPAL music publishers representing successful writers/composers.

Wellington singer-songwriter and internationally acclaimed musician Thomas Oliver, published by Mushroom Music, has won the 2016 APRA Silver Scroll Award for his song 'If I Move to Mars'.

Karl Steven, published by Native Tongue, received the APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award for the drama 800 Words. 

Also at the awards, Moana Maniapoto was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. As one of the most recognisable and important voices in Aotearoa, Moana Maniapoto was honoured for the significant impact she has had on the New Zealand life and culture through her music.  

The full list of winners is available at: http://apraamcos.co.nz/news/2016/september/ss2016winners/

Congratulations to all nominees and winners and successful AMPAL members!

ACMF National Songwriting Competition now open!

The Australian Children's Music Foundation's 2016 National Songwriting Competition is now open for entries! Every year, every student from every school across Australia is invited to put pen to paper and enter their original song for a chance to win prize-money that can be allocated towards musical equipment and tuition, as part of the Competition. The Competition is a nationwide initiative designed to encourage creativity and self-expression through songwriting. “Songwriting is a highly creative process. We want kids to free their imagination and engage with learning in a fun way” – Don Spencer, Founder & CEO of the ACMF.

AMPAL is a proud supporter of the 2016 Competition.

For more information about the Competition and to enter, visit http://acmf.com.au/national-songwriting-competition/. Entries close 20 Oct 2016.