Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad & Tobago (COTT)

COTT (Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago) is a non-profit membership organisation representing approximately 3,000 local songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers. Incorporated on July 10, 1984, it was the first national collective management organisation established in the Caribbean and began operating in 1985. It administers performing and reproduction rights under the Copyright Act 1997 of Trinidad and Tobago. COTT is best suited for Trinidadian and Tobagonian music creators who need a domestic society to license their works and collect royalties from public performance, broadcasting, streaming, and mechanical reproduction.

How COTT Works

COTT licenses businesses that play music publicly in Trinidad and Tobago, including radio stations, television broadcasters, streaming platforms, bars, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, concert promoters, and event venues. It collects license fees and distributes them as royalties to members based on usage reports, airplay logs, and digital streaming data.

Before COTT was established, the UK's Performing Right Society (PRS) operated an agency in Trinidad and Tobago. COTT was founded by a committee of local musicians and industry figures including Nappy Mayers, Bro. Resistance (Lutalo Masimba), Seko Tafari, Wade Simon, Arnold Shuffler, James Lloyd, Llewellyn Mac Intosh, Francis Escayg, and Seadly Joseph.

COTT is a provisional member of CISAC, having joined in 1988. It represents the works of 2 million songwriters worldwide through reciprocal agreements with collecting societies around the globe. COTT is also a founding member of the Association of Caribbean Copyright Societies (ACCS, formerly known as CCL), alongside COSCAP (Barbados), JACAP (Jamaica), and ECCO (Eastern Caribbean).

In addition to rights management, COTT serves as the National Agency for administration of ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) for Trinidad and Tobago. This means master rights owners in the country can obtain Registrant Codes through COTT to generate ISRCs for their audio and video recordings.

COTT has also expanded into neighbouring rights collection. In 2019, COTT signed an agreement with IFPI to begin collecting for performers and producers, adding neighbouring rights to its portfolio alongside traditional performing and reproduction rights.

The organisation is managed by a Board of Directors elected from and by the membership every three years, consisting of Writer, Producer, Performer, and Publisher members. Ayanna Belgrave-Lewis serves as Manager of Finance and Administration.

Real-World Example

A Trinidadian calypso songwriter registers 25 songs with COTT. A Port of Spain radio station plays 10 of those songs during Carnival season, a streaming platform reports 150,000 streams, and three venues in San Fernando hold blanket licenses covering live performances. COTT collects royalties from all three sources.

The songwriter receives a distribution based on the radio airplay logs, streaming usage data, and venue license fees. If the same songs get airplay in Barbados, COSCAP collects those royalties and remits them to COTT, which then pays the songwriter.

A songwriter with regular local airplay during Carnival season and moderate streaming numbers might earn anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 TTD annually in performance royalties through COTT, depending on the frequency and type of use.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

COTT operates in a small market. Trinidad and Tobago has a population of approximately 1.5 million, which limits the domestic royalty pool. International royalties depend on reciprocal agreements and the reporting speed of foreign societies.

The organisation has faced challenges common to Caribbean CMOs: resistance to paying for music licenses, limited use of written contracts in the local music industry, and gaps in copyright legislation. CEO Dr. Erica Smith of COSCAP (a partner society) has publicly noted that informal practices and poor business literacy plague the Caribbean creative sector.

COTT's online presence provides limited public information about distribution schedules, commission rates, and membership fees. Artists considering membership should contact COTT directly for current terms.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Trinidadian or Tobagonian songwriter, composer, or publisher, COTT membership is the primary way to collect performance and mechanical royalties for your works domestically and internationally. Without it, you would need to individually license every radio station, venue, and streaming platform that plays your music.

Register every composition with COTT as soon as it is commercially released. Include correct split shares and ISRC codes so your works can be matched to usage data. You can also obtain ISRC Registrant Codes through COTT to tag your recordings properly.

If your music is played internationally, COTT's reciprocal agreements with collecting societies worldwide mean foreign societies collect on your behalf. For non-Trinidadian artists, your home PRO collects from COTT through these same reciprocal agreements when your music is played in Trinidad and Tobago.

Territory Covered

COTT administers performing rights and reproduction rights exclusively within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Its licensing authority covers all public performances, broadcasts, streaming, and mechanical reproduction of musical works that occur within Trinidad and Tobago under the Copyright Act 1997. Through reciprocal agreements with collecting societies worldwide, COTT also represents the interests of its members globally when their works are performed in other territories. COTT's repertoire includes over 13 million works written by hundreds of thousands of songwriters worldwide.

How to Join and Membership Fees

COTT charges a one-time joining fee with no annual membership fee:

• Songwriters, composers, and lyricists: $150 TTD (one-time fee)
• Publishers: $750 TTD (one-time fee)

To join, applicants must:

1. Complete the membership application form available on the COTT website.
2. Sign the Membership Agreement, which vests performing and artistic works rights in COTT.
3. Pay the applicable joining fee.

The date of application serves as the effective date of admission, unless issues arise that must be resolved before admission. COTT is not obligated to make royalty payments for performances of works that take place prior to admission to membership.

Members can also obtain ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) Registrant Codes through COTT, as it serves as the National Agency for ISRC administration in Trinidad and Tobago. Since September 2020, 396 rights holders have been issued registrant codes.

Overhead Rate

COTT deducts an administrative commission from collected licensing fees before distributing royalties to members. The exact overhead rate is not publicly disclosed on the COTT website. COTT operates as a non-profit organisation, and all license fees collected (less administrative costs) are distributed as royalties to writers, publishers, and affiliated societies. Artists considering membership should contact COTT directly at info@cott.org.tt for current commission rates.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

COTT distributes royalties to members 4 times per year (quarterly). Royalties are generated through public performance, broadcast, communication, and recordings in Trinidad and Tobago and overseas. Members receive detailed statements of royalties paid, and payments are credited to a designated bank account.

The distribution is based on usage data from broadcast logs, live performance setlists, streaming reports, and other data provided to COTT. If a member's music is played internationally, COTT's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies ensure those royalties are collected and remitted back to COTT for distribution in the next cycle.

When a COTT member dies, their spouse, child, relative, next of kin, or beneficiary under a will can apply for membership as a successor. The successor member can collect royalties for up to 50 years after the death of the original COTT member.

Reciprocal Agreements

COTT is a provisional member of CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers), having joined in 1988. Through reciprocal agreements with collecting societies around the globe, COTT represents the works of approximately 2 million songwriters worldwide.

COTT is a founding member of the Association of Caribbean Copyright Societies (ACCS, formerly known as CCL), alongside COSCAP (Barbados), JACAP (Jamaica), and ECCO (Eastern Caribbean). ACCS serves as a regional center that monitors and maintains a centralized Caribbean database, ensuring acceptable data standards for information on works stored within the database.

COTT is also a member of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). In 2019, COTT signed an agreement with IFPI to begin collecting neighbouring rights for performers and producers, adding this to its portfolio alongside traditional performing and reproduction rights.

Notable Members

COTT represents approximately 3,000 local songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers. Notable members include:

• Bro. Resistance (Lutalo Masimba) - Calypsonian and rapso pioneer. Joined COTT in 1985 as one of its earliest members. Served as President and director for approximately two decades (1995 to 2015). Registered over 80 songs including "Ring De Bell," "Mother Earth," and "The Rapso Master." Owned Masimba Publishing Network with 101 registered songs.
• Shurwayne Winchester - Tobagonian soca musician. Two-time Road March title winner (2004 and 2005). Won both Power and Groovy Soca Monarch titles in 2006. Received COTT Awards for Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, and Groovy Soca of the Year in 2006.
• Winsford Devine (Joker) - Trinidad and Tobago songwriter who composed more than 500 calypsos. Wrote for The Mighty Sparrow for 17 years, including hits like "Slave," "Philip, My Dear," and "Marajhin." Awarded the Hummingbird Medal (Silver) in 1998. Named Honorary Distinguished Fellow in the Arts by the University of Trinidad and Tobago in 2016.
• Explainer (Winston Henry) - Calypso and soca artist. Known for the hit "Lorraine," which reached number 35 on the British charts. Featured on the ACCS website as a COTT member artist. Collaborated with Bunji Garlin, Blaxx, Maximus Dan, and Farmer Nappy.
• Nappy Mayers - One of the founding committee members of COTT. A Trinidadian musician and songwriter.

Comparison Table

Videos

Similar PROs

• COSCAP - Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Barbados. Fellow ACCS founding member
• JACAP - Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Fellow ACCS member
• PRS for Music - UK performing rights organization that previously operated an agency in Trinidad and Tobago before COTT was established
• CISAC - International confederation of authors and composers societies

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - Understanding the difference between performance and mechanical royalties
• Neighboring Rights - How neighbouring rights work for performers and producers
• PRO Comparison Guide - Detailed comparison of PROs worldwide
• COTT Official Website - Visit COTT for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings