Stupido Records: Gramex remunerations are the lifeblood of its operations

Stupido Records is one of the oldest independent record companies in Finland. It started its operations in 1989 and has been a Gramex customer from the beginning.

“I knew about Gramex right from the early days of Stupido Records,” says Sirkku Haikonen, the Art Director & Merchandise Manager of Stupido Records.

We asked Haikonen why an artist and a record label should be interested in copyright remuneration.

“It is important that creators and producers have the right to their own recordings and can decide how they are used. And that they receive appropriate compensation for them,” says Haikonen.

So what does copyright mean for Stupido Records?

“It’s about receiving compensation for the material we have created. And neither an artist’s nor a record label’s produced material can be used without permission. Copyright belongs to the creator, as well as the performer, and to us , the producers of the recordings as well,” says Haikonen.

According to Haikonen, compensation has decreased over the years.

“I hope that the remunerations won’t decrease, but the potential future cuts from the government will also have an impact. In the future, it’s also possible that more AI-generated music will be used, for which remunerations might not need to be paid. This depends on how the threshold for a song or recording will be defined in the future,” says Haikonen.

A long time in music

When she moved to Helsinki to study from Tampere in 1989, Haikonen started working as a record seller at Mega Epe in Helsinki’s Erottaja.

“At the same time, Stupido Records was starting its operations, and I personally sold those first releases at Epe’s. Behind the record store counter, many record label gurus and musicians have started their music careers,” says Haikonen.

Haikonen graduated as a fashion designer and designer from the University of Art and Design.

“Music has always gone hand in hand with other artistic and creative work in my life. I have always been inspired by it,” says Haikonen.

35-year-old record company

Haikonen has been closely following the activities of Stupido Records since 1992. First as a background influence and part-time employee, and later as a full-time employee starting in 2007. At the same time, the company changed its form and sought a new direction. It also added its own concert booking. This year, Stupido Records is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

Ideation is an important part of Haikonen’s work. The work doesn’t end with just completing tasks.

“In the music industry, I have worked as a multitasker, somewhat invisibly, because there isn’t one title that defines what I do. At Stupido Records, the work is broad and colorful, but rarely boring,” she says