Swedish hitmakers form rights education group

Swedish songwriters Björn Ulvaeus, Max Martin and Niclas Molinder have announced the formation of the Music Rights Awareness Foundation, an international, “apolitical” organisation aiming to educate music creators on their intellectual property rights.

Ulvaeus, one quarter of Abba; Martin, a six-time Ascap songwriter of the year, third behind only Lennon and McCartney for the most №1 singles for a songwriter/producer; and Molinder, who has written, produced and remixed for Ashley Tisdale, Lady Gaga and Willow Smith under the name Twin, already work together as co-owners of digital rights platform Auddly.

“Information and education [are] obviously always key and I am hoping Music Rights Awareness, together with others, will help the creative community help themselves in the challenges ahead,” says Martin.

“There is an ignorance when it comes to rights among both songwriters and the industry… with Music Rights Awareness we can help the world’s musicians at a broader level”

Molinder says the project’s genesis came after realising, “while working together, […] there is an ignorance when it comes to rights among both songwriters and the industry. We are convinced that many of the legal disputes that are now underway could have been averted, and with Music Rights Awareness we can help the world’s musicians at a broader level.”

The foundation’s first project will be Music Rights in Africa, an educational programme targeting musicians in Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania. “African writers should be on par with Americans in terms of having the same knowledge,” Ulvaeus tells Billboard. “In many areas of the world, the concept of copyright is relatively new and MRA can do something really important.”

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