Urge Organizations to Respect Music and Support Local Music in Singapore!

A crucial part of evolving Singapore’s identity includes encouraging the composition and promotion of local music. When words are put to music, the song tells the story about Singaporeans, our relationships and our way of life. 

However, local songwriters, like all of us, need to make a livelihood to survive. The viability of their careers ultimately hinges on how much they can earn from their work. For local music to be heard, these songwriters not only need opportunities for their music to be played in both governmental organizations and privately-owned businesses, but also need to be given the appropriate monetary rewards for their work. Currently, songwriters receive royalties when their music is played in public. The Copyright Act of Singapore 1987 protects the economic interest of creators of original works, including composers and lyricists. It ensures that no one would exploit someone else’s work without due compensation to the music writers, and allows local musicians to create music in a more conducive environment. Under the Copyright Law, all organizations playing music in public must pay the music owners through performing rights organizations. 

Unfortunately, it occurs to us that many businesses are not doing so. To ensure the sustainability of the careers of our local musicians, we would like to urge all organizations in Singapore to do their part in ensuring that the songwriters get the royalty payments due to them. Many of you would have probably heard that there is no future for Singaporean musicians and what they are pursuing is a lost cause. The truth is that the fate of our local song creators depends on the support of each and every Singaporean! A group of music enthusiasts has taken the lead to make a difference. Catch their video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=135lMJBA_wE&feature=youtu.be

How can you make contribute to this movement? Take a simple move to show your support today by signing this petition and visiting our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/soundsofshopping

Tell the businesses that you want music to be respected and local music to be heard in Singapore!