PARIS: The United Nations and ABBA songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus launched a new online platform yesterday aimed at helping musicians understand their intellectual property rights and get their due credit in the digital age.
CLIP – or Creators Learn Intellectual Property – is free to use and intends to show artistes how to make sure they are properly rewarded for their work, especially given that content nowadays is increasingly consumed online.
The UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo) teamed up with Ulvaeus, who co-wrote multiple mega-hits as part of the Swedish pop group ABBA, and later co-founded the Music Rights Awareness Foundation.
“I know firsthand how important it is for creators to know and manage their IP rights. Today, it is an essential foundation for a successful career in the music industry,” the 78-year-old said in a statement.
“At the core of CLIP is a steadfast commitment to creators. Helping them understand the complexities of the creative industries will enable them to maximise the value of their creations.”
The first version of CLIP will focus on the music industry, helping users to explore the industry’s workings, understand the players involved in bringing a song to market, and get a grip on music creator rights.
“Creators draw on their talent and artistic vision to give us music, art, song and dance,” Wipo director-general Daren Tang said.
“Supporting them is critical to the richness of every society and country. We must do what we can to ensure they are recognised and fairly rewarded, so that they can thrive in their work and contributions to society.
“CLIP will support creators with the knowledge and skills they need to transform their artistic passion into a viable profession.”
ABBA – comprising Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog – are among the biggest-selling recording artistes of all time.
They shot to global stardom after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo”, produced a string of huge hits, but split in 1982, a year after releasing the album “The Visitors”.
The group reunited to release the album “Voyage” in 2021.