IAO is the umbrella association for national organisations representing the rights and interests of Featured Artists in the Music Industry.

Our principal interests are transparency, the protection of intellectual property and a fair reflection of the value an artist’s work generates.

IAO is a nonprofit organisation based in Paris that was officially founded in 2015 and consist of founder-members FAC (UK), La GAM (France), CoArtis (Spain), GramArt (Norway) and FACIR (Belgium), with the other members Dansk Artist Forbund (Denmark), Musikerförbundet (Sweden), Muusikkojen liitto (Finland), CAFM (Croatia) and De Muzielgilde (Belgium). The organisation is in the process of expanding its membership to welcome artist organisations from more countries across Europe and beyond.

You can download and read IAO Charter Here:

You can download and read IAO Bylaws and Rules Here:

Whilst artists are by definition at the very heart of the music industry, their works are often controlled by third parties. The artists receive only a small share of revenues created through the value chain, and sometimes they receive nothing. Moreover, in some areas of the exploitation of their works, the artists have little or no influence.

Artists wanting to understand the value of their works face a wall of non-disclosure agreements, and incomprehensible revenue statements. To make matters worse, significant value from the deals done between major labels and platforms has been specifically designed to divert revenues to the corporations, without the legal obligation to share the benefits with the artists on whose catalogues that value has been created.

IAO believes passionately in the value of music. Music is fundamental to regional and global culture. It enriches people’s lives, documents our time and heritage, and contributes significantly to our economies.

IAO is established to give the featured artists a collective voice to lobby both for fair and balanced rights, and also for a fair share of all value stemming from the artists’ works. IAO is the only truly legitimate international voice for artists.

IAO strives for a fair, balanced and developing global music sector, respecting national and regional diversity, providing for a richer and growing creative community by promoting diversity of culture between the genres.

IAO promotes artist representations in any rights organisation or entity making decisions concerning artists’ rights and revenues, and encourages authorities to always include genuine representation of artists in any working groups, committees or similar bodies.

IAO encourages cooperation between its members, supporting and supplementing their actions, providing cultural exchange as well as regional knowledge and expertise.

IAO wants to foster innovation and push the uptake of new and exciting services and allow opportunities for communication and creativity.

IAO acts in favor of a modernised legislative framework for the music sector to rebalance the market and empower the artists for the digital age.

IAO have especially identified the following issues of concern (in no particular order):

You can download and read IAO Featured Artist Declaration Here: