A Program Has Launched That Allows DJs To Donate A Percentage Of Gig Fees To Producers

Producer and DJ DVS1, also known as Zak Khutoretsky has launched a new software that is designed to pay producers for when DJs play their music.

Launched on the 29th of March, the program works on a donation style system, that allows DJs to commit a portion of their gig fee to producers whose music they played. The program suggests that DJs donate 5% of their fees.

In an interview with Resident Advisor, Khutoretsky stated the project was founded in response to the deficit in royalties, despite the booming value of electronic music globally, which was valued at $7.3 billion in 2020. 

The current global system of music collection societies is heavily outdated, with music-recognition software installed in less than one percent of venues worldwide, as well as requiring DJs to provide handwritten playlists of music they've played.

During the programs beta-testing phase last year, a group of 100 DJs uploaded 110 playlists and a total of over 5000 tracks. Of them, 82% were identified and matched, leading to payments of over 2,213 producers. 

In the interview with RA, Khutoretsky stated, "PROs and music collection societies already charge clubs venues and festivals, and even independent promoters for the right to play music,

"It's literally their responsibility to install these devices and do their job. Millions of dollars are collected each year that never end up back in the hands of the artists whose music is actually played in these venues. Instead, that money gets paid out to the top 100 billboard artists and pocketed by those societies.

"The five percent won't fix the problem by any means, but it can immediately change an artist's perspective about what's possible, not only financially, but with the statistics and information they will get through the service,

"While Aslice can offer its own take on a solution now, I genuinely hope people recognise our community's power as a larger group and the pressure we can put on old failing systems to step up and do their job."

You can check out the Aslice website HERE.

"Aslice might be the DJ / producer retirement plan we have all been dreaming of, but didn't know how it could work."
Hagi Craig
(Detroit Premiere Artists Agency)#hagicraig #detroitpremiereartistsagency#detroit #aslice #getplayedgetpaid #fairshare #fairermusiceconomy pic.twitter.com/ekgINJ1oWy

— Aslice (@asliceofficial) April 5, 2022