A new campaign, #RespectTheCreators, is setting out to change an overlooked issue in the music industry: crediting the music played in social media videos.
Backed by prominent artists and organizations such as the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) and techno pioneer Richie Hawtin, the campaign encourages DJs, promoters and platforms to give proper recognition to the tracks they play during live events and embedded in promotional posts.
While live footage of DJ sets and festivals has become a major tool for marketing, the music that fuels these moments often goes uncredited, robbing the original creators of recognition and opportunities. The campaign aims to establish a new industry standard for crediting the music featured in these viral posts.
“Supporting the community and the musicians who make the musical structure that our scene stands on should be common decency,” said Hawtin. “So why do so many social media posts from DJs, promoters, and festivals fail to tag the music being played? It’s disrespectful and only takes further advantage of the musicians who are already struggling for recognition.”
The #RespectTheCreators campaign points to the fact that up to 90% of social media content from DJ performances does not credit the music being played. Ace Data Transmission reports, research presented at IMS Ibiza showed that only about 3% of a DJ’s set includes their own productions, making it essential to properly recognize the tracks from other artists.
The campaign urges DJs to tag artists and list track names in videos of gigs or mixes where the music isn’t their own. Online platforms are asked to provide visible tracklists below all sets, while promoters should credit music in all event promotional materials.
“Crediting and tagging the producers and songs played in social media content is one of the easiest ways a DJ can show support,” added Ethan Holben, founder of the now-defunct DJ revenue-sharing platform Aslice. “The culture of electronic music is all about community, and that culture can be shifted forward through positive action. This campaign is the first of many movements that treat respect, recognition, and equity for music makers as paramount.”
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