Warner Music Group's Matthew Walters-Bowens on How Musicians Can Keep Their Creative Work Protected
Matthew Walters-Bowens of Warner Music Group discusses AI in the music industry, and how IP protection is set to change in the coming years.
In this episode, Branddy speaks to Matthew Walters-Bowens, Senior Legal Analyst, Trademarks & Domain Names at Warner Music Group, an entertainment and record label conglomerate.
They talk about how the landscape of IP protection has changed over the past ten years, steps recording artists need to take to protect their work, and the challenges they may face in doing so. They also discuss the role of AI in the music industry, and Matthew gives his advice for how to succeed in IP protection.
Get in touch with your host, Branddy Spence.
Topics discussed
- How Matthew was drawn to IP protection as a day job to support his singing and theater endeavors, and what motivates him the most about it.
- How the landscape of IP protection has changed over the past ten years, from a focus on tracking down physical goods to enforcement on the internet.
- The challenges to IP protection, specifically in the music industry.
- How music industry professionals can raise awareness around IP protection with their clients, and how to balance protection with creative innovation.
- The future of IP protection and how AI will play a role in it.
- Advice for increasing awareness around IP protection, including keeping risk, timelines, cost, and mitigation top-of-mind.
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Guest quotes
#1.)
"So the nature of IP is dynamic. It's always going to be fundamentally changing because it is what's supporting whatever commerce is in the day and age. So one consistent thing that has never changed is it's changing. Some things that have changed since I've started are, well, I started with physical goods. And now in addition to any physical enforcement that you have to do ... a lot more internet and electronic enforcement that you have to do." (6:07)
#2.)
"Personally, when I make music, I like to not listen to music for a long time because you'll get sued for any little thing. You can unconsciously copy someone's work if you've been listening to it recently. So I like to just make spaces for my own creativity, quiet spaces where I can just have my own original ideas." (11:16)
#3.)
"But with trademarks and IP and things that I already do, AI is affecting my work in a positive way, in a positive way, such as watch notices or just clearance searches. That is a form of AI, even though it's already older and less shiny than this new AI is supposed to be." (18:46)
#4.)
"It's important to know what your jurisdiction is. Because we're like, 'We're a trademark, we're covered around the world.' No, you're not. I'm sorry. It's super expensive to be covered around the world. So look at where you really think your income is going to come from and protect yourself there first and then grow." (20:57)
#5.)
"Sometimes when going over song lyrics, for example, does the artist or whoever is making the creative content accept the fact that there might be risk? And if your risks are large, then you need to have the budget for a large risk. And if they're small, nominal things, maybe you can not care and water off a duck's back, or you make a little bit of change to the lyric or to the title of whatever the play is. At least in my work so far, I haven't seen the IP and trademark talks stifle creativity. Frankly, I think they amplify it." (25:13)
Resources mentioned
For the latest episodes, search for “Future of IP Protection” on Spotify, Apple, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
More episodes
Watch on video
Episode 25Vivek Jayaram on Educating the Next Generation of IP Lawyers
Episode 24Maura Regan of Licensing International on New Approaches to IP Management
Episode 23Eproint’s Gabriela Bodden Explores IP Challenges in the Caribbean and Latin America
All 25 episodes
- 25Vivek Jayaram on Educating the Next Generation of IP Lawyers
- 24Maura Regan of Licensing International on New Approaches to IP Management
- 23Eproint’s Gabriela Bodden Explores IP Challenges in the Caribbean and Latin America
- 22WIPO’s Todd Reves on the Latest Developments at the World Intellectual Property Office
- 21Maral Behnam-Garcia on the Three Pillars for Brand Success
- 20INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo on Transforming IP into a Revenue Center
- 19AAFA’s Steve Lamar on Protecting Fashion IP in an Evolving Digital World
- 18NRF's Stephanie Martz’s Expert Advice on Harnessing Innovation in Retail
- 17Purple’s James Larson on Brand Protection in the Age of AI
- 16Nestlé's Myrtha Hurtado Rivas on How IP Protection Strategies Should Respond to Evolving Technology
- 15StockX's Paul Foley on How to Build a Brand Protection Authentication Strategy
- 14ZipString's Austin Hillam on How to Protect Your Inventions and Keep Innovation Going
- 13Kawaii Lighting's Lan Bui on Why Counterfeits Will Never Stand Up Against High-Quality Products
- 12Taking Swift Action to Protect Your IP with SwiftPaws' Meghan Wolfgram
- 11Warner Music Group's Matthew Walters-Bowens on How Musicians Can Keep Their Creative Work Protected
- 10Tapping into IP Protection Resources with Draft Top's Armand Ferranti
- 09Navigating the Processes of Knockoff Takedowns with NightCap's Michael Benarde
- 08Winning the Game of IP Protection with USAOPOLY's Paul May
- 07The Role of IP Professionals in Business Strategy with BEDGEAR's Joseph Codispoti
- 06Buzzfeed's Assistant GC on the Growing Landscape of IP Protection and Online Content Creation
- 05Keeping Your Brand Protected by Keeping Ahead of Technology
- 04Protecting IP - and People's Dreams - Through Collaboration and Anti-Counterfeiting
- 03An In-House Counsel's Guide to IP Protection and Licensing at a Large Media Company
- 02How Brands Can Achieve Consistent and Scalable Success in Protecting Their IP
- 01Beyond IP Enforcement: Protecting Your Brand's Reputation with Data, AI, and Stakeholder Communication
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