About a month ago, FMC launched a set of online quizzes.  Ranging from “easy” to “expert”, these multiple choice quizzes were designed as a fun way to test musicians’ knowledge of common uses of copyrights and sound recordings, and to give us – as advocates and educators – a way to identify concepts and realities that are the most confusing.

In the last month, over 1500 quizzes have been completed. Based on 30 days of data, here are the questions that have proven most problematic for quiz takers:

A US-based band is recording an album of material they wrote, but wants one of the tracks to be a cover of The Rolling Stones’ song “Brown Sugar”, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The band sells all 500 vinyl copies of the album plus 500 downloads on iTunes to US customers. According to the current statutory rates, how much does this 4 minute, 30 second-long cover of “Brown Sugar” generate in mechanical royalties, based on these sales?

Only 23% of survey takers picked the right answer.  Do you think you know it? Take this quiz and find out.

A major US orchestra’s performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring – recorded in 2012 and released on a major label – is for sale on iTunes.  How are the orchestra members who participated in the recording session paid for digital sales?

Only 31% of quiz takers knew the correct answer. Are you curious about how or whether orchestra members are paid for this? Take this quiz.

An emerging American hip hop act makes their new tracks available on SoundCloud.  How are they paid when their songs are streamed on SoundCloud?

55% of quiz takers knew this one.  Do you know what the answer is? Here’s the quiz.

A 1980s rock band has their big 80’s hit used in a current major Hollywood movie. Their 1980s record label still owns the sound recording and, under their contract, they split the synch licensing fee with the label 50/50. They also wrote the song. Do the band’s songwriters receive any public performance royalties when the movie is shown in US movie theatres?

This one is particularly tricky. Even of those who took the “expert” quiz, only 44% got it right. Take the quiz and discover why. 

The quizzes are a natural outgrowth of FMC’s ongoing work helping musicians navigate a complex and changing landscape; not only do we hope they are educational for our quiz-takers, but the answers will help us identify any persistent knowledge gaps in the music community and design better learning tools.

So take a quiz (or two, or three, or four) and see how you stack up.