RADIOHEAD - MUSICIANS BAND TOGETHER FOR BETTER RIGHTS

MUSICIANS BAND TOGETHER FOR BETTER RIGHTS

A group of musicians have cone todether to try to gain greater ownership and control of their work from record labels.

Robbie Williams, Radiohead, Kaiser Chiefs and The Verve are among the acts who have signed up to a new pressure group, the Featured Artists' Coalition.

The group wants to protect artists rights over their music and calls for bands to have a greater say in how their songs are sold as well as a larger amount of the takings.

Musicians have begun to complain that they feel they have been ignored when their record labels and music publishers have struck new digital deals.

The Featured Artists' Coalition's main demands include allowing musicians to keep the copyright to their own music, which could then be leased to record companies.

Record labels normally own the rights to the music their artists make.

The coalition also wants its members to be consulted more fully on how their music is used, the ways it is sold and who gets the money.

The coalition intends to speak up for artists' rights in high-profile issues in the music industry.

It wants changes to copyright law and for the rights of performers to be brought in line with those of songwriters.