Representing the rights and interests of featured artists in the music industry
“Where words fail, music speaks”
– Hans Christensen Anderson
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.

Latest news
European Commission’s new study on contractual practices
We are proud to ascertain that the European Commission’s new study on contractual practices affecting authors and performers makes multiple references to Streams and Dreams Part 2, IAO’s groundbreaking report on the realities artists face in the streaming economy....
IAO warns about UMG acquisition strategy threatening diversity
As a voice for performers and featured artists across Europe, we at the International Artist Organisation (IAO) are deeply concerned about UMG’s accelerating acquisition strategy — consolidating control over distribution, publishing, and artist services. This isn’t...
Summary of the Joint Statement on the Third Draft of the EU AI Act’s GPAI Code of Practice
A coalition of authors, performers, and other rightsholders across the EU's cultural and creative sectors strongly opposes the third draft of the General-Purpose AI (GPAI) Code of Practice, arguing that it undermines the objectives of the AI Act, contravenes EU law,...
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Current campaigns
GECAT Pass
Getting ALL European artists back on the road Proposal for a cultural area permit scheme across multiple geographical groupings, July 2021 The European Union and its nearest neighbours across multiple geographical groupings share many aspects of aligned cultural and...
Music First
A campaign in the USA to demand fair market pay for all music on ALL radio platforms
Make Music Work
Music needs a fair and transparent marketplace for performers whether to protect cultural assets or encourage new growth








