Library of Congress
Copyright Royalty Board Publish New Music Royalty Rates
Written November 27, 2018
The Copyright Royalty Board on November 26, 2018, published final regulations setting rates and terms for digital music streamers like Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon. 83 Fed. Reg. 60362.
The regulations set higher rates for the streamers and will lead to an increase in pay for artists over the life of the deal, which runs from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2023. Under the new system, songwriters’ cut of digital music revenue from compulsory licenses on downloads and streaming will rise from 11.4 percent to 15.1 percent over the next four years. The rate determination was not unanimous, and a dissenting opinion raised several concerns about the complicated pay structure being put into the hands of record labels.
The regulations set higher rates for the streamers and will lead to an increase in pay for artists over the life of the deal, which runs from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2023. Under the new system, songwriters’ cut of digital music revenue from compulsory licenses on downloads and streaming will rise from 11.4 percent to 15.1 percent over the next four years. The rate determination was not unanimous, and a dissenting opinion raised several concerns about the complicated pay structure being put into the hands of record labels.