Several artists who struggle to be paid for the albums they sell point to their distributor, Propaganda Distribution. Among them, the singer Philémon Cimon is the first to claim his due in the public square, he who has just put the company on notice, accusing it of not having paid him a check since April 2020.
This means that for over a year and a half, the singer-songwriter has not cashed a penny from the sale of his records and vinyls in stores. Also nothing of the money he is entitled to for some of his recordings on digital platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music.
For this independent artist who has been working his way for more than a decade on the music scene, this is obviously a not insignificant amount that is currently eluding him.
“I am able to live without that money. I live on copyright, on shows, on stage rights. That said, it’s still a nice big “motton” of money that would allow me to produce my next album and pay my musicians, ”argues Philémon Cimon. The singer insists that it is above all a question of principle, and not of money.
The fact remains that since he signed with Propaganda Distribution two years ago, he would have received only one payment for his record sales, in April 2020.
Yet, according to the artist, his contract clearly stipulated that the company had to send him a payment four times a year.
I live on copyright, on shows, on stage rights. Having said that, it’s still a nice big “motton” of money that would allow me to produce my next album and pay my musicians.
The interpreter of I want light has written repeatedly to Propaganda Distribution to explain these repeated delays. Each time, he was told that he was going to get paid eventually and that he didn’t have to worry.
His patience finally reached its limits on Tuesday when he expressed his exasperation on social networks after sending a formal notice to his distributor. “I don’t want to see them sink, I think it’s a company that is useful. I just want them to assume ”, specifies the one who has just released his fifth opus, Love.
He is not the only artist who has to deal with the lack of attendance at Propaganda Distribution. The duty was able to speak with the entourage of at least two artists whose businesses are going quite well, but who have also had difficulty receiving their remuneration in recent months. Nobody, however, except Philémon Cimon, wants to publicly confront this company, for fear of harming one of the last remaining Quebec distributors.
The leaders of Propaganda Distribution ensure they are aware of the inconvenience caused by late payments for artists. They apologize for it, but blame some of the blame on the big retailers, like Walmart and Amazon. Because of them, redistributing profits between record companies and artists requires more time, we defend ourselves.
“There are a lot of things to take into consideration when it comes time to make judgments, or criticisms, it is necessary to show discernment and not to mix things up”, continues by email Nicolas Leroux, the president of Propaganda Distribution. .
In his letter, Mr. Leroux also explains that his box has been overflowing since its main Quebec competitor, Distribution Sélect, announced the end of its activities in the spring. Several artists and record companies have therefore joined his team, but the means remain the same, for lack of public funding, he deplores.
Propaganda Distribution avoided commenting on Philemon Cimon’s case, declining to advance whether the singer-songwriter could hope to be paid sooner rather than later.
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