Other online areas

Audiobooks with music

Audiobooks obviously differ from printed books by virtue of their format.  Often, they consist of a file you can download to your computer, iPad/tablet or phone. Audiobooks may also involve a physical component, most often a CD. Koda only manages rights for audiobooks that contain music. The area is relatively new and has not yet won widespread usage, but we expect an increase in the consumption of audio books and, hence, more agreements with Koda.

Do you carry out distributions for audio books?

Koda does indeed distribute revenues when your music is used in an audiobook. However, in order for us to do so, we must have been in touch with the publishers behind the book to enter into an agreement. Therefore, it is important that the publisher contact Koda to make an agreement on the specific book.

When do you carry out distributions?

Audiobooks are included in Koda’s distributions for ‘Other online’ areas. You can see when distributions are made in our distribution schedule

How much will I receive?

It  is difficult to say exactly how much you can expect to receive.  Koda has no standard minimum price, as each customer’s payment will differ from agreement to agreement. However, the absolute minimum is DKK 122.80 a month. If a given audiobook is very popular, the price will be set on the basis of the revenues generated and the share accounted for by the music. As a member, you can get up to 6% of the revenues if the music share is high.

How does Koda get information about the use of music in audiobooks?

Due to their as-yet limited scope, audiobook agreements fall into the category for ‘voluntary reporting’. This means that customers are not required to inform us of any music used in their audiobooks. We try to be particularly attentive of reporting if an agreement only includes the music of a single/very few members to ensure that they receive their due payment.

What to do if your music has been used in an audio book

If you know that your music is used in an audiobook, please feel free to contact us. Send us a message via [email protected] and provide the title of the book, the name of the publisher and the title of your works featured in the book.

Permission – and agreement with Koda, if relevant

If you would like to publish an audiobook, please contact our Broadcast and Online department at [email protected]

If it is necessary to obtain a license from the rightsholder, you can contact Koda’s Publisher/Member Service – we can often help find contact information for the relevant rightsholder. Contact us via [email protected] or by calling +45 33 30 63 20.

Will I receive revenues for music used in apps?

That depends on the content of the app and on who owns the rights.

In order to understand how Koda licenses music use in apps, it’s simpler if you forget about the ‘app’ part altogether. The important thing is the content of the app: for example, is it a music service or a video game?

• Video games: This is a self-managed area, meaning that Koda does not manage rights within this field. Distributions/payments are made directly via the games producer with whom you’ve entered into an agreement.
• Music services: Licenses are issued and distributions made in accordance with the terms and conditions applying to the music services
• You’ve made an app yourself: If you’re a rightsholder who owns all the rights to an app sold via e.g.  Appstore, this is regarded as music on your own website. Koda makes no collections in such cases, which of course means we will make no distributions either.
• Small-scale provider of an app containing music: If the app provider does not own all rights to the music, they must contact Koda to set up an agreement. Koda only collects and processes reporting from small-scale providers of apps in cases involving specially composed music. If no such music is used, Koda makes no distributions.

If your music has been used in an app for which no agreement has been made with Koda

If your music is used in an app offered by a small-scale provider that does not own all the rights to the app, you can write to Koda and tell us about the provider. We will then contact the provider to set up an agreement.

Permission – and agreement with Koda, if relevant

If you need to use someone else’s music for an app you intend to publish, please contact Koda’s Customer Service at [email protected] or the Broadcast and Online department at [email protected]

If you need to obtain permission from a rightsholder, you can contact Koda’s Publisher/Member Service; they may be able to help you find contact information for the rightsholders. Send them a message at [email protected] or call +45 33 30 63 20.

Featuring your own works on your own website won’t cost you anything as long as the following preconditions are met:

• Your website mustn’t generate income exceeding DKK 10,000 plus VAT per year. In your calculations, you must include all income from the website – not just from sales of your music, but also income from banner ads and similar.
• The owner/s of the website must own all rights to the music offered.
• Cover versions of music created by others are not included in the agreement.
• The website must be your own. You don’t need to have your own domain name registered, but you need to hold all rights to the website.

If your website doesn’t comply with these preconditions, you must send an inquiry to [email protected] to set up an agreement.

No payment also means no distribution from Koda

Please note that since you do not have to pay for having your own music on your own website, you will also receive no distributions from Koda. Similarly, you don’t need to inform us about which titles you make available on your website.

Contact

If you have questions about the agreement on Own music on your own website, you are very welcome to contact our Member Service at [email protected] or by calling +45 33 30 63 20