The song would be nothing without someone to sing it: copyright and performers’ rights in music

ABSTRACT Copyright protection has always been a significant factor in the ongoing viability of making music for money. Music is valueless without the talented people who convert abstract musical compositions into performances that we hear and enjoy. This article examines how copyright law recognises the rights of performers who typically contribute to a music artefact. It then scrutinises the development of performers’ rights primarily in Australia, while making a comparison with the UK and New Zealand. It is suggested in this article that a gap exists in copyright law that results in performers not having rights that are equivalent to those of composers or producers.