Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Younison?
    Younison is an advocacy platform for music professionals dedicated to ensuring that they are fairly, accurately and directly compensated for the use of their works in the new digital environment.

    Younison does this by representing and inviting artists to meetings with national and EU politicians.
  • What are Younison's goals?
    Younison is pressuring the European Union to create the following rights for the benefit of all authors:
    1. Quarterly individual information disclosure on all revenues collected in our name
    2. Quarterly individual payments for all digital revenues by Authors Societies
    3. One-stop-shop to license and distribute our music across the EU
    4. Freedom to choose our collecting society based on who offers the best service
  • How do we achieve change?
    Younison is calling on European lawmakers to create these new rights for music authors at the occasion of the new European legislation on the transparency of authors collecting societies. This new European law will be proposed at the end of this year and Younison is actively educating law makers on the need to improve artists status. To do so Younison represents and invites interested artists at meetings with national and EU politicians.
  • What will Younison do for me?
    Younison will work to improve the relationship between you and your authors society particularly in relation to the frequency of your payments (we are asking to be paid every 3 months), and on the information you receive, e.g. where your music was played and how often.
    In addition to this, you will have access to a unique network with people in the music industry and will be able to link up with friends and colleagues enabling you to share experience, works or tips for future success. As a member of Younison, you will be asked to participate in polls concerning the future of the music industry; the results of these polls will be used as a basis to ask for new and improved authors rights

    By joining Younison, you will have access to a unique network with people in the music industry and will be able to link up with friends and colleagues enabling you to share experience, works or tips for future success.

    As a member of Younison, you will be informed of political and legal development asked to participate in polls concerning the future of the music industry; the results of these polls will be used as a basis to ask for new and improved authors rights
  • Who are the members of Younison?
    As of January 2013 Younison membership consists of over 6000 producers, performers, composers, managers, organisers and DJs. Our artists come from countries such as Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK. We are in the process of is expanding our message towards artists in all EU countries.

    Artists supporting the Younison Platform include:
    • Ed O’Brien (Radiohead)
    • Annie Lennox
    • Armin Van Buuren (world’s N°1 DJ)
    • Robbie Williams
    • Sandie Shaw
    • Dave Stewart
    • Kate Nash
    • Tom Barman (dEUS)
    • Nick Mason (Pink Floyd)
    • Damien Rice
    • KT Tunstall
    • Piet Goddaer (Ozark Henri)
    • DJ Mason
    • Afrojack (Grammy winner 2010)
    • Michel De HeyJunior Jack
    • Steve Rachmad
    • Tim Van Haemel (Millionnair)
    • CJ Bolland
    • Human Recource
    • Mark Kelly (Marillion)
    • Laidback Luke
    • Stijn
    • Michael Schack (Clouseau)
    • Hendrik Willemijn (Arsenal)
    • Joost Van Bellen
    • Crispin Hunt (Longpigs)
    • Billy Bragg
    • Stijn Meuris
    • Ivy Smits (Cinérex, Arsenal)
    • Buscemi
    ... and over 6000 artist
  • Who is Kelvin Smits?
    Kelvin Smits is a music artist and economist who has always supported a fairer and clearer system of rights remuneration, although his personal experiences have shown him that this is often easier said than done.

    After 15 years of writing and producing more than 180 songs for different bands - many of which were popular (dEUS, Cinerex) - he decided to start the first European digital-only label The WAB in 2004, which grew rapidly and became the hub for Belgian alternative music and is now an established name with more than 350 bands releasing their music worldwide online. The realization that many of these bands were not being paid the digital mechanical rights from iTunes by SABAM led directly to the foundation of Younison, the European advocacy organisation that gives authors a way to demand stringent transparency and accountability standards vis-a-vis their collecting societies.
  • How is Younison funded?
    Younison is funded by voluntary contributions and volunteering. In past years, Younison received limited support from various technology companies who believe that the technology sector and the artistic community are fully aligned in their mutual interest to ensure the European collective digital rights management systems are subject to high standards of transparency and accountability, to the benefit of artists, technology companies, and European consumers.
  • What do you mean with the Digital Music Revolution?
    Authors societies (Sacem, Sagem, Sabam, Buma Stemra...) claim to speak out for artists and protect their interests, but more often than not they are biased. Collecting money is their main goal, and not distributing the revenues to artists in the most transparent, fair and efficient way. And when it comes to protecting your rights, there is often a huge conflict of interest...
    Younison is advocating a drastic change of this system. You can give us the ammunition by joining and participating in Younison and triggering The Digital Music Revolution!
  • What is an authors society?
    Authors societies offer a service to artists by collecting copyright revenues and levies (such as from MP3 players, or publishing rights for music or literature) from companies and individuals, and redistributing these revenues back to the original artist or rights holders. They fulfill an essential role in supporting artists and collecting our revenues. However, certain societies have refused to take steps to modernise and as a result artist creativity and income is suffering.
  • How to Join or to Unsubscribe?
    To join the Younison platform click here and submit your email information. To unsubscribe the platform, please send us a mail via "Contact us"stating the fact you want to be unsubscribed, and we will delete your profile and all data.