International Association of Independent Recording Artists
Encyclopedia
The International Association of Independent Recording Artists (IAIRA) is an organization that represents the independent recording industry throughout the world. It seeks to serve as an unbiased repository for recording industry reporting chart data collected from various publications. Its members consist of record labels, recording artists, broadcasters and distributors.
IAIRA was formed in 2006. The company participates in the collection, administration and certification of recorded works, including chart position and significant media activity. IAIRA certification is issued without regard to advertisement, political prowess, subjective interpretation, or personal opinion. IAIRA extensively researches various credible reporting charts and certifies the chart position attained by a specific work released by entities not affiliated with major record companies. IAIRA is dedicated to share the art and creativity of the Independent Recording Arts with the world.
figures are not used in IAIRA certification; IAIRA conducts its own audits of internationally recognized charts and verifies chart position manually. IAIRA's system seeks to serve as an accurate alternative to the occasional industry practice of promoting a work as certified based on large promotion budgets rather than sales.
, George Jones
, Shenandoah, Heartland and Grand Ole Opry
star Billy Walker
.
The Chief Operating Officer is Mark Carman, known as a businessman in the music industry, and holder of a variety of awards and critical acclaim. He has been involved in more than 2,200 recordings during his 35-year career. He is credited as a musician, producer, writer, composer, and arranger. His involvement in musical works have resulted in multi-platinum selling recordings, Grammy Award
, CMA Awards, American Music Award, etc.
The Trade Liaison is Randy Russelburg, also known as “Big Randy” in the entertainment security and transportation industries. With many years successfully performing these tasks, Russelburg has settled in quite comfortably into the IAIRA frame of mind. Being confident in the entertainment industry and its mechanisms has made the transition from multiple tasks to a single task quite welcomed.
IAIRA was formed in 2006. The company participates in the collection, administration and certification of recorded works, including chart position and significant media activity. IAIRA certification is issued without regard to advertisement, political prowess, subjective interpretation, or personal opinion. IAIRA extensively researches various credible reporting charts and certifies the chart position attained by a specific work released by entities not affiliated with major record companies. IAIRA is dedicated to share the art and creativity of the Independent Recording Arts with the world.
Eligibility
Presently, an IAIRA certified release is a single or album that has attained significant chart position on an internationally recognized reporting chart. Originally, the requirement for a IAIRA certification was that the recorded work attain a "top ten" standing. In 2009, IAIRA began recognizing "top 100" releases. Reflecting growth in the independent recording market, in 2010 IAIRA-certified #1 releases were granted "Gold Seal Certification". Because of these changes in criteria, the award level associated with a particular award depends on when the award was made. Nielsen SoundScanNielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
figures are not used in IAIRA certification; IAIRA conducts its own audits of internationally recognized charts and verifies chart position manually. IAIRA's system seeks to serve as an accurate alternative to the occasional industry practice of promoting a work as certified based on large promotion budgets rather than sales.
Current releases
Certification of current releases is somewhat automatic. IAIRA employs a staff of researchers, mostly volunteers, who review various charts of independent releases. Once a release has been determined to be eligible, the contributing party is notified, typically by email. There is no fee associated with certification. Eligible contributors may request a letter of certification.Previous works
Certification is not automatic; for an award to be made, the record label or contributing party must request certification and pay a fee to have the recording audited. The audit is conducted against actual chart position and must be verified.File sharing
IAIRA opposes unauthorized sharing of protected music. Studies conducted since the association began its campaign against peer-to-peer file-sharing have concluded that losses incurred per download range from negligible to substantial.Executive staff
The President of IAIRA is Frank Scherman. Scherman has been actively involved in the business side of the entertainment industry for more than 20 years. During the 1980's and into 1990 he held the position of Charts Director for the industry trade publication Cashbox. He has provided consulting services for numerous entertainment artists including AlabamaAlabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
, George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, Shenandoah, Heartland and Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
star Billy Walker
Billy Walker (musician)
William Marvin Walker , better known as Billy Walker, was an American country music singer and guitarist best-known for his 1962 hit, " Charlie's Shoes"...
.
The Chief Operating Officer is Mark Carman, known as a businessman in the music industry, and holder of a variety of awards and critical acclaim. He has been involved in more than 2,200 recordings during his 35-year career. He is credited as a musician, producer, writer, composer, and arranger. His involvement in musical works have resulted in multi-platinum selling recordings, Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, CMA Awards, American Music Award, etc.
The Trade Liaison is Randy Russelburg, also known as “Big Randy” in the entertainment security and transportation industries. With many years successfully performing these tasks, Russelburg has settled in quite comfortably into the IAIRA frame of mind. Being confident in the entertainment industry and its mechanisms has made the transition from multiple tasks to a single task quite welcomed.
See also
- Canadian Recording Industry AssociationCanadian Recording Industry AssociationMusic Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
(CRIA) - Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) - Intellectual Property trade groups
- International Intellectual Property AllianceInternational Intellectual Property AllianceThe International Intellectual Property Alliance , formed in 1984, is a private sector coalition of seven trade associations representing U.S...
(IIPA) - List of music organizations in the United States
- Parents Music Resource CenterParents Music Resource CenterThe Parents Music Resource Center was an American committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual.The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice...
(PMRC)