HFA Adds License Reorder Option to Songfile(R) Online Mechanical Licensing Service

HFA Adds License Reorder Option to Songfile(R) Online Mechanical Licensing Service

Over 500,000 Songfile Licenses Issued;

New Option Speeds Transactions for Returning Customers

NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), a leading U.S. music rights licensing organization, has added a "license reorder" capability to its popular Songfile online mechanical licensing service, available at www.harryfox.com. This new option comes just as Songfile has reached the 500,000 issued license milestone.

Songfile's License Reorder option lets previous customers create a new license request from a prior license that was issued to them. This enables customers to quickly obtain licenses for additional copies of the same recording; to obtain licenses for the same recording but for a different format; or to build a new license request using those songs for a different recording (such as for a "greatest hits" or a live album).

"We want to make licensing as easy as possible. License reorder makes it even simpler for returning customers to obtain additional mechanical licenses through Songfile, as they do not need to re-enter all their previous information to request additional licenses for the same songs," said Maurice Russell, VP of Licensing and Business Development, HFA. "We have already issued over half a million licenses through Songfile since its inception in 1999, which goes to show how these small, independent licensees collectively create an important community for music publishers."

The License Reorder option is available in the "View My Licenses" area of a user's Songfile account. They can select which license they wish to reorder by clicking the "reorder" button on the far right. The Songfile system will then verify HFA's current representation of the song. Once the status is verified, the Songfile Cart appears. Users can then remove or add songs to the cart. When the customer is ready to check out, the fields will be auto-populated with the licensee and artist information from the original transaction, which can be edited as necessary.

About Songfile

HFA's Songfile is an easy and fast way for musicians who plan to make and distribute 2,500 copies or less of their recordings to obtain the necessary licenses for cover versions of songs. Licenses can be obtained for CDs, cassettes, LPs, or permanent digital downloads (DPDs).

Customers can create an account, search HFA's catalog of songs, and complete their mechanical licensing transaction in minutes. Royalties are calculated at the statutory mechanical rate (currently 9.1 cents per copy for songs 5 minutes or less in length, or 1.75 cents per minute (or fraction thereof) per copy, for songs over 5 minutes). There is also a processing fee on each song licensed. If a user just wants to conduct research, there is a separate Songfile Public Search tool on the website available free of charge.

Mechanical licenses are required under U.S. Copyright Law if one wants to duplicate and distribute a recording of a song that is owned by someone else. Through proper licensing, the publisher, and ultimately, the songwriter, are compensated for the use of their work. Duplicators and online music sites require copies of licenses before replicating recordings or offering them online.

Customers must be conducting business in the U.S., and have a valid credit card or checking account with a U.S. billing address. Licenses for songs on physical products and for DPDs must be obtained in separate transactions. For physical products, users are able license multiple songs for one physical album at a time, or users can obtain up to 50 separate DPD licenses in a single transaction.

About HFA

Established in 1927 by the National Music Publishers' Association, HFA represents over 35,000 music publishers for their licensing needs in the United States, issuing licenses and collecting and distributing the associated royalties. In addition to being the premier mechanical licensing agent in the U.S., which includes CDs, ringtones, digital downloads, interactive streams, limited downloads and more, HFA is dedicated to finding new ways for its affiliates publishers to recognize value for their catalogs, including lyrics and tablature. Further, HFA provides collection and monitoring services to its publisher clients for music distributed and sold in over 95 territories around the world. For more information about HFA, or to become an affiliate publisher or a licensee, see www.harryfox.com.

Songfile(R) is a registered trademark of The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: HFA

CONTACT: Laurie Jakobsen of HFA, +1-212-834-0133,
ljakobsen@harryfox.com

Web site: http://www.harryfox.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment