Respect the Creators campaign aims to change the way we credit dance music on social media. An AFEM (Association For Electronic Music) backed initiative supported by figureheads across electronic music launches with the goal of setting a new industry standard for crediting the musical work featured in social media videos and content uploaded by DJs, artists, labels, and brands.

Social media – and live event footage in particular – plays an integral role in the discovery and development of new talent – but only if they are correctly credited.

The organisers of the campaign assert that it is the right time to adopt a new, industry-wide commitment to clearly crediting the work of others, outlined by a set of best practices that are already supported by prominent artists, labels and brands including DJ/Producer Mason, BAM! Popauteurs, fabric, Mobilee, Glasgow Underground, Good Company, Buma/Stemra, Data Transmission, Neighbourhood, LabelWorx, Your Army, and Aslice.

Through a passionate keynote speech at this year’s IMS Ibiza, Dutch DJ and Producer Frank Nitzinsky explained that the research underpinning the campaign shows that on average, only 3% of a DJ’s set is music that they have produced themselves and up to 90% of DJ performance content shared on Instagram does not credit the music being played in the video. These emotive video clips of DJ sets and events are the basis for marketing campaigns by artists, labels, promoters and many other media outlets, often reaching millions of viewers and potential fans.

Without proper attribution, the powerful moments created by another artist’s music only benefits the DJ playing the track, or the account sharing the clip. The #RespectTheCreators campaign aims to educate artists, fans, and industry professionals to affect a change in the way we credit the work of others across social media.

There are many reasons suggested as to why music is not credited – from apathy or being unaware of the impact, to the age-old DJ culture trope of gatekeeping the best tracks – but the organisers of the campaign argue that above all, an attitude of respect towards other creators is in the DNA of electronic music culture and should be applied to social media too.

The campaign emphasises the necessity of a healthy ecosystem that promotes talent from the ground up, firmly supporting artists’ fundamental right to be credited for their work. DJ culture cannot be an exception – as creators and curators, there is a collective responsibility.

Whether using tools provided by platforms like Instagram and Facebook to add music to posts via stickers, or simply include the artist and song title in the caption – the campaign urges individuals across the music industry to consider their content and respect the creators of the music they love whenever they post online.

Supporting creators is simple: