Female musician singing with a microphone, in black and white

#FixStreaming

We Can Fix Streaming and Keep Music Alive

Get involved in 2021

17K people signed the petition for a Government review

1 inquiry started because you called for it

2021 the year it could all change

We can fix music streaming

Thank you to everyone who gave evidence and emailed in support of the MU submission to the music streaming inquiry. It really does make a difference – your experiences are key to getting action and creating change. The Musicians’ Union and The Ivors Academy will be doing more on this in the New Year, so look out for more opportunities to get involved and be sure your voice is heard.

Naomi PohlMU Deputy General Secretary

What happened so far

Earlier in 2020, songwriters, composers and performers started sharing how little they got from streaming using the hashtag #BrokenRecord.

The Ivors Academy and Musicians’ Union started campaigning for a Government review - and over 17,000 of you backed the call.

Press picked it up, including the Guardian, Pitchfork, Wired, and BBC Radio 5 Live. They’re still going too - catch up with #BrokenRecord founder Tom Gray and MU Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl speaking to Ed Miliband and Goeff Lloyd on Reasons to be Cheerful.

More people started speaking out. Speaking to the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, Tasmin Little OBE explained how she gets 5 to 6 million streams over six months, with 755,000 monthly listeners, and gets paid just £12.34 for it.

Politicians were listening too – the Labour Party made user centric party policy, and the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select committee called for a Government review...

... before launching their own in Autumn this year.

As part of that, they invited creators and industry experts to give evidence in person – including Nile Rodgers, Tom Gray, Guy Garvey and Nadine Shah.

They explained how successful artists and creators are struggling to pay rent, and backed equitable remuneration.

And they made the case for more transparency, user centric, and increasing the value of the song.

Plus many more gave evidence using the Ivors Academy guide, and emailed in support.

We campaigned for a Government review, but the battle to fix streaming is not over yet. Look out for more updates in January 2021.

Join the conversation

Why the music industry HAS to change and why it has to change now. A thread. Stick with it!

Tom Gray #BrokenRecord

Find out more on Tom Gray

“ It pays artists and song writers very badly" @KTTunstall explains why she thinks music streaming needs to change. Find out more about BBC Rethink 👉 https://bbc.in/2BbMsho

@bbc5live

Find out more on BBC Radio 5

Do you listen to us on @Spotify? We get 75,000+ plays a month. For that we earn less than a fiver. Yes, that’s <£5. For the whole band. It’s taking the piss on a monumental scale. If you want to #KeepMusicAlive we need to #FixStreaming now. Pls sign and RT the petition👇👇🙏🙏

@electrelaneyeah

Find out more on electrelane

In the last 6-month period I earned £40.22 for all my streams on Spotify. ('Groove It Out' is my most streamed track at 1.2 million streams.) Making music is not sustainable at these rates, YouTube is even worse. Sign the petition if you want to #FixStreaming + keep music alive.

@LoneLady

Find out more on LoneLady

Latest news

Major Labels Give Evidence at Music Streaming Inquiry

A number of major labels took centre stage in the latest session of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s music streaming inquiry.

A young musician singing into a microphone behind a protective screen.

MU and The Ivors Academy Respond to Record Label Heads Contributions to Government Streaming Inquiry

The MU and The Ivors Academy have today responded with incredulity to the testimonies of the UK heads of the three major labels during questioning by the Select Committee inquiry into the Economics of Streaming.

Graphic image includes three brightly coloured squares, one with the text

Poll Reveals Shockingly Inadequate Earnings From Streaming

8 out of 10 music creators earn less than £200 a year from streaming, finds survey ahead of songwriters and artists giving evidence to a Select Committee of MPs.

More Creators and Musicians Called to Give Evidence in Person at Music Streaming Inquiry

Fiona Bevan, Soweto Kinch, and Nile Rodgers will be giving evidence to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee inquiry into the economics of music streaming.

Photograph of a crowded festival audience, outdoors and the sun is shining.

Your Guide to Giving Evidence to the UK Festivals Inquiry

Have your say in the DCMS Select Committee's inquiry into UK music festivals, and how they can be protected in 2021.

Sweet Streams Aren't Made of this: #FixStreaming on Reasons to be Cheerful Podcast

Music streaming has made it easier than ever to listen to our favourite artists, but too many musicians earn next to nothing from it. Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloys chat to Naomi Pohl from the Musicians’ Union and Tom Gray from the Broken Record campaign about fixing problems with the industry.

Streaming royalties

User Centric Model Supported by Labour Party

Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Jo Stevens said "The Labour Party position is that we support this. Why should it be any different for musicians than it is for any other professional trade?"

From around the web

The Guardian

“I can't pay the rent on unfair music streaming revenues”

Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter Nadine Shah in the Guardian.

Pitchwork

How Musicians are Fighting for Streaming Pay During the Pandemic

How could the system be fixed? Story by Andy Cush on Pitchwork

BBC Radio 5

‘Streaming needs to change’

Musician KT Tunstall says Covid-19 has been “disastrous" for music and streaming services need to support artists.

Huffington Post

'Covid-19 Is a Watershed Moment'

How Musicians Are Waging A War On Streaming Platforms From Lockdown

Wired UK

Lockdown was a boon for Spotify. Now musicians are fighting back.

Advice

Copyright, moral rights and performers' rights

Recording contracts with labels

Guidance for composers and songwriters

Horace Trubridge

General Secretary

MU Secretariat

Naomi Pohl

Deputy General Secretary

MU Secretariat

naomi.pohl@themu.org

Keith Ames

PR and Marketing Official

MU National Office

press@themu.org

Maddy Radcliff

Campaigns and Social Media Official

MU National Office

campaigns@themu.org

Graham Davies

CEO

The Ivors Avademy

Jenny Goodwins

Research & Campaign Consultant

The Ivors Academy

Julia Rowan

Policy Co-ordinator

The Ivors Academy

Mark Taylor

Director of Membership, Marketing & Communications

The Ivors Academy

We Can Fix Streaming and Keep Music Alive

We can fix music streaming

This is a defining moment for our industry.

We’re up against some powerful interest groups who will argue that streaming is working– but we have the community of music and fans on our side.

Campaigns can move fast at a moment’s notice.

Are you an MU member?

Not a member?

What happened so far

Join the conversation

Latest news

Major Labels Give Evidence at Music Streaming Inquiry

MU and The Ivors Academy Respond to Record Label Heads Contributions to Government Streaming Inquiry

Poll Reveals Shockingly Inadequate Earnings From Streaming

More Creators and Musicians Called to Give Evidence in Person at Music Streaming Inquiry

Your Guide to Giving Evidence to the UK Festivals Inquiry

Sweet Streams Aren't Made of this: #FixStreaming on Reasons to be Cheerful Podcast

User Centric Model Supported by Labour Party

From around the web

“I can't pay the rent on unfair music streaming revenues”