By Tabassum Siddiqui
Few people are better poised to reflect on CMRRA’s 50th anniversary than Margaret McGuffin, who comes by her insights first-hand. Now Chief Executive Officer of Music Publishers Canada (MPC), McGuffin previously worked for CMRRA from 2014 to 2017, first as Vice-President, Strategy and Business Development, and then as Vice-President, Industry Relations and Communications.
McGuffin, who initially became involved with CMRRA as a consultant in the early 2000s, looks back on the organization’s evolution as a journey of constant commitment to songwriters, music publishers and the music community.
“I have a long history of working with CMRRA in different capacities – first as a consultant helping to file the first tariffs at the Copyright Board, which was very important at the time,” McGuffin says. She also reflected on the founding of CMRRA for the purpose of creating an organization that would take over the licensing of songs in Canada.
“Basically, a group of publishers who belonged to our association decided 50 years ago that they no longer wanted foreign collective management organizations to be licensing in Canada,” she recalls. “There was a need with a growing publishing industry to be setting up a Canadian-owned and operated organization, which we’ve come to see has been so important.”
Starting CMRRA essentially helped build the music publishing infrastructure in Canada, McGuffin explains. “For so long, at the beginning of the history of CMRRA, mechanical royalties were only two cents [until 1989]. And it really was CMRRA and MPC that got the government to change that compulsory licensing so that songwriters and the music publishers who invest in them could get paid more,” she says, pointing out that the compulsory license was removed and mechanical royalties are now negotiated freely in Canada.
“Over 50 years, we’ve seen the move from vinyl to CDs to downloads to streaming services, and I think this is what CMRRA and the music publishing industry are so good at – we embrace innovation and find ways for songwriters to get paid,” McGuffin says.
“When downloads came into the market, and then when streaming started, and when YouTube and TikTok emerged, CMRRA was at the forefront of making sure that those new services were licensed. CMRRA have been real innovators in gathering the most comprehensive set of musical works and ownership share data, alongside full album-deep recording data from its history of licensing physical products, and complete DSP usage reporting. This wealth of data contributes to their ability to provide accurate and timely payments for their clients.”
As CEO at MPC, McGuffin focuses on advocacy within the sector – in her own words, “making sure government understands the role of music publishing and ensuring our voices are heard”. McGuffin has had a front-row seat to witness CMRRA’s growth over the years, and still works hand-in-hand with CMRRA, including sitting on the Canadian Publishers Committee.
“We’re really lucky in Canada with both CMRRA and other innovative rights organizations that really care about the songwriter, the composer, and the music publisher, and really invest in the technology that’s needed to make sure people get paid on a timely basis,” McGuffin says.
“CMRRA has always been there at the centre of any important discussion of how things are changing, and how we make sure that songwriters and music publishers are compensated fairly for their work.”
The story of CMRRA’s evolution is underscored by its ability to navigate the challenges posed by rapidly changing technology and market dynamics, McGuffin emphasizes.
“New technologies have always been at the forefront of licensing. We at MPC are spending a lot of time focusing on AI right now, and making sure songwriters, composers, and music publishers are fully recognized and remunerated for their work.
“We really need Canadians to understand the value of human artistry, and that copyright allows songwriters and composers to build careers and music publishers to invest in emerging songwriters. As a result, we want to ensure we’re collecting future revenues from these new technologies,” she adds.
“Things are changing really quickly, and CMRRA has always been on top of that, talking to their clients and understanding what they’re facing on the ground. They really know how to listen and are customer-focused in their outreach in terms of how decisions are made. It’s so important to have someone you can actually talk to, as opposed to just an email that goes into the abyss.”
As McGuffin reflects on CMRRA’s history and many wins over the years in the music rights space, she’s also looking ahead to how the organization will continue to play a critical role in ensuring Canadian songwriters, composers, and music publishers who are making an impact at home and globally achieve the compensation they deserve.
“In Canada, we’re so strong in music publishing and making sure that Canadian songs are heard around the world,” McGuffin says.
“MPC just released our statistics for 2024 and found that 82 percent of the revenue of Canadian independent publishers are coming from foreign sources. So they’re clearly looking at the Canadian market – but Canadian publishers are also sending their songwriters around the world to work in Korea, in Europe, in L.A,” she adds.
“We see this clearly in the list of nominees for the new Songwriter of the Year (Non-Performer) category recognized at the JUNO Awards this year. It’s a really important statement of recognizing what our Canadian songwriters and publishers are doing not just in Canada, but around the world.”
As a key leader in the publishing sector, McGuffin appreciates how CMRRA staff take part in MPC’s activities such as the NXTGen mentorship program for junior-level professionals.
“What I love is that CMRRA are always such great collaborators – and I think collaboration is going to be key to dealing with any of the challenges and opportunities ahead,” McGuffin says. She also points to the annual Inside the Song event, a collaborative initiative hosted in Toronto by MPC, CMRRA, and CARAS/The JUNO Awards, where songwriters showcase the stories behind their songs.
“All the players in the Canadian industry need to be working together – CMRRA has always played a leadership role and certainly will continue to as they work very closely with songwriters and publishers now and well into the future.”
