List of Professional/Representative Bodies
(Please let us know if any of the links no longer work or if you know of a link we should add)
Cross-national
Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) is a not-for-profit trade association representing companies and individuals involved in electronic music. Membership is open to all those working in the electronic music industry.
IFPA represents the recording industry worldwide. It produces a range of resources and reports providing data and analysis on the current state of the global recording industry, the way we engage with music and the role and value of record labels. Some resources are freely available and some only to members.
IMPALA Independent Music companies Association – a not-for-profit organisation based in Brussels and providing a collective voice for independent music companies.
The International Songwriters Association (ISA) began in 1967 and represents songwriters in more than 60 countries. It has a useful FAQs page and a wealth of freely available information on song writing that looks at the music business from the songwriters point of view.
Europe Jazz Network (EJN) is a nonprofit Europe-wide association of producers, presenters and supporting organisations who specialise in creative music, contemporary jazz and improvised music created from a distinctly European perspective.
UK
Association of Independent Music (AIM) is a not-for-profit trade body representing, promoting and supporting the independent music sector in the UK. It is a membership organisation with members come from across the independent music community including some of the biggest independent labels like Beggars, Domino and Ninja Tune to globally celebrated specialists and newer challengers such as Hospital, Brownswood, Black Acre and Transgressive. AIM also has a significant membership of independent artists who self-release their music, ranging from those just starting out to established names who are known the world over. It has a number of useful resources freely available on the website.
British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) is a specialist healthcare charity providing free medical advice for those in the performing arts.
Free clinics, training and resources; Directory of practitioners; Fact sheets; Advice.
Concert Promoter Association (CPA) (UK) – Represents the interests of promoters and provides advice.
Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) – the UK’s professional body for musicians. Members come from all areas of the music profession and from a wide variety of genres and musical backgrounds. As well as working musicians, membership also includes part-time and full-time students and retired musicians.
Music Managers Forum – Representative body for music management. Offers a range of services including setting up funding opportunities, running courses, publishing guides, seeking investment opportunities for its members and providing advice.
Musicians’ Union (MU) (UK) – A membership body working for musicians’ rights. As well as negotiating on behalf of musicians with all the major employers in the industry; the MU provides a wealth of advice, services as well as assistance tailored to each individual member, whether full time, part time, self-employed or a student musician. There is a wealth of information and advice for musicians on the MU website that can be accessed for free and a wide range of individual benefits and services that can be accessed if you join.
Music Publishers Association (MPA) (UK) – The MPA’s website had a good FAQ section on music publishing. It also owns and operates two commercial businesses:
Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society – MCPS is the UK collection society that licenses mechanical (or reproduction) copyrights on behalf of over 26,000 music publisher and composer members.
Printed Music Licensing Ltd – PMLL represents music publishers to allow UK schools to make copies of printed music. Find out more at printmusiclicensing.co.uk.
Collectively, these subsidiary businesses are known as the MPA Group. The MPA offers a number of other commercial functions for music publishers – including a range of widely-used template contracts, blanket industry agreements etc.
The Ivors Academy of Music Creators (Formerly BASCA) (UK) – Formerly BASCA, is an independent trade body for songwriters and composers across all genres. Membership of The Ivors Academy is exclusively for music creators. To be eligible for membership, you must be a member of PRS for Music or another recognised music collecting society, or have comparable grand rights income or appropriate qualifications.
UK Music is an industry-funded body, established in October 2008, to represent the collective interests of the recorded, published and live arms of the British music industry. Through collective representation, UK Music promotes the interests of record labels and music publishers (major and independent), songwriters, composers, lyricists, musicians, managers, producers, promoters, venues and collection societies. UK Music’s website has useful links to rehearsal spaces; career advice; jobs and opportunities etc. and industry reports that are downloadable for free.
USA & Canada
American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) A membership body providing advocacy, education and community for independent record labels of all sizes and genres in the USA.
American Federation of Musicians (AFM) – includes Canada.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP)
Music Business Association (Music Biz) – a not-for-profit membership organization that hosts events, education and networking events.
Music Managers Forum (MMF) – a trade association for music managers in the US
Australia
Australian Society for Music Education – supporting music at all ages and levels
Australian Music Association (AMA) – membership body representing the interests of the music products industry. Also promotes music-making, organises trade shows, events etc. and publishes Australian Musician magazine.
Music Australia – a not-for-profit umbrella body for music in Australia. Has a useful resources page that includes a Directory of Music Organisations in Australia.