Musicians Push for Rights Extension

This argument is not about a handful of extremely rich signed artists, it is about a huge number of highly skilled session musicians who are being short changed under the current system.
-John Smith, general secretary U.K. Musicians Union

The music industry is pushing for European legislators to lengthen copyright protection for recorded music from 50 to 95 years, which would bring the musicians who perform on records closer to the levels of composers and songwriters who helped create the music. Arguing against those rights are the likes of Internet and communications companies, which are hoping to exploit music that is no longer protected by copyright.

In the U.K., the Musicians' Union is urging European regulators not to short change performers as they consider European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy's proposals to extend the term of performers' rights.

Currently the music that is written by composers and songwriters in the U.K. is protected for 70 years after the author's death, meaning that the writer's family can still earn royalties from the music. The musicians who perform on the records, on the other hand, lose any right to compensation 50 years after the track was first released.