While we have long admired GameChops and their artists, we removed their catalog from Materia's bandcamp today, after 2 years of managing albums, licensing, etc. Last weekend, GameChops set albums to $0/pay-what-you-want. Had we been consulted, we would have said no. Here's why:

Jul 20, 2020 · 12:04 AM UTC

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GameChops didn't ask their artists first. Also, “pay-what-you-want” is complicated when it comes to albums that require licensing — as is the Content ID situation. GameChops told us they would not be paying future royalties to artists OR composers.
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We're all for giving back to the community, but that shouldn’t come at the cost of creators being paid for their work. Unlicensed commercial albums that don't benefit the people who make them go against everything we stand for.
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We tried to communicate this to GameChops, and we are sorry that we couldn't reach a resolution that made everyone happy. However, we will stick to our values, which are that creators (composers AND artists) deserve to be paid for their work.
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An update: Contrary to public apologies, GameChops has proceeded with legal action against us. We are disappointed in this choice. Materia will continue fighting for transparent communication and equitable and fair compensation to artists and composers. #gameaudio #gameaudiodev
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Replying to @MateriaColl
Love you guys
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Replying to @MateriaColl
These ppl sold my albums at their concerts without paying me for years because it was "too much to keep track of" lol
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Replying to @MateriaColl
What happens with the purchases made by fans tho? The albums got retired from their collections too?
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Replying to @MateriaColl
This clearly shows how composers/musicians are treated in the industry despite their importance. If you’re not paying the artists that you represent then might as well not even be a label.
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