NMPA Submits Proposal To Copyright Royalty Board To Improve Songwriter Streaming Rates

NMPA Takes On Streaming

The NATIONAL MUSIC PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION, along with the NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL (NSAI), submitted their proposal to the COPYRIGHT ROYALTY BOARD (CRB) to determine the rates payable by interactive streaming services for the years 2018-2022. Please find NMPA’s brief here and proposed rates and terms here. NMPA Pres./CEO DAVID ISRAELITE released the following statement, calling for rates determined on a per-play and per-user basis, rather than as a percentage of revenue.

“Interactive streaming is becoming the dominant way in which consumers listen to music. This trend will continue, therefore it is imperative that we improve the rates paid by streaming services like SPOTIFY to ensure that the songwriters who create the songs on which these platforms are built, are paid fairly. 

“The current licensing model is structured as a percentage of revenue, and we must change this to a structure where songwriters are paid in accordance with the inherent value – and popularity – of their work instead of the success of a given service’s business model. We are laser-focused on achieving royalty rates that are set on a per-play and per-user basis.

“While we remain open to achieving a settlement with the digital services to avoid a trial as we have done in the past, we are ready to fight for exactly what songwriters deserve.”

NMPA has previously negotiated settlements with all of the major record labels to exit the proceeding. NMPA now faces AMAZON, APPLE, GOOGLE, PANDORA and SPOTIFY in the CRB. NMPA is represented in the CRB proceedings by PRYOR CASHMAN LLP

« see more Net News