Sound Royalties, LLC Discusses Efforts Of Performing Rights Organizations

Taking A Stand

SOUND ROYALTIES, LLC, has weighed in on what it considers to be SESAC’s recent victory on radio royalty rates (NET NEWS, 8/1), and the ongoing battle between the GLOBAL MUSIC RIGHTS ORGANIZATION (GMR) and the RADIO MUSIC LICENSE COMMITTEE (RMLC) in this arena. The latter two parties have been in court, fighting over royalty rates from commercial radio stations for music performance licenses.

“Music is more intertwined in our lives today than it ever has been," SOUND ROYALTIES CEO ALEX HEICHE said. "Instead of just playing predominantly in the car, it’s now on at work, at the gym, while we make dinner. It’s almost constantly with us. But despite the fact that people are consuming more music than ever before, somehow the writers behind the songs driving our lives are being paid less.

“No in-demand industry operates without change for half a century, yet that’s exactly what is happening here. Radio rates have barely increased in 50 years, leaving even successful songwriters struggling to make ends meet. Thankfully, GMR and SESAC’s pushback to RMLC has shined a bright light on this serious issue plaguing the music industry.

“These works of art should be evaluated fairly on a free market, and music professionals have the right to decide who negotiates on their behalf. And if entities are not willing to pay a song’s determined worth, then those not willing to license it shouldn’t be allowed to play it.

“The battles being fought by these PROs [Performing Rights Organizations] are critical not only to their own songwriters, but to the music community overall. All music professionals and their PROs, even those currently dictated by consent decrees, will benefit from the ripple effect of these actions when free market rates are truly established.”

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