Musician Frees Song Played, WAMI Still Withdraws Royalties According To His Duties

Illustration of musical royalties (unsplash)

JAKARTA - Many musicians decided to make their work free to play. This phenomenon emerged after cafe and restaurant owners became frightened because they had to pay royalties.

However, what the musicians announced did not necessarily make cafe and restaurant owners free from royalties.

When the music/song works are played in cafes or restaurants, even though the singer or creator of the song is free, the National Collective Management Institute (LMKN) together with the Collective Management Institute (LMK) still comes to collect royalties.

Adi Adrian, President Director of Indonesian Music Wahana (WAMI) said that as one of the LMKs, he still collects royalties as part of the duties and authorities given by the Copyright Law.

"We are the officers who are given the authority. Well, our main task is to collect," Adi Adrian said at a press conference in Pancoran, South Jakarta, recently.

Adi continued, WAMI will continue to carry out the mandate until there are new rules that change their duties and authorities.

"People say, 'Wow, this is not allowed, this is free or anything.' WAMI just follows the main task force. As long as we are implementers, we have run it," said Adi.

"If the executor is withdrawn, we have asked, 'Why? Is there something new?' Yes, we will. So the point is, yes, we just follow the rules of the game," he continued.

Furthermore, Adi emphasized that WAMI does not have the authority to make or change the rules, but as the executor of existing regulations.

"In Indonesia, our umbrella is LMKN. Well, as I have said, WAMI plays by the rule. Our corridor is the rules of the game. So, what are the rules of the game like, so we have followed the rules of the game," he said.