#FixStreaming

It's Time to Fix Streaming and Keep Music Alive

Call on Government to put the value of music back where it belongs – in your hands.

80%* of musicians and music creators who earn less than £200 a year from streaming*

92%* tell us that less than 5% of their earnings came from streaming*

£150m* estimated earnings of Universal head Lucian Grainge in 2021**

* Source: *A poll by The Ivors Academy and Musicians’ Union 2020 **The Guardian

We can fix music streaming

Latest news

Naomi Pohl and Alex Sobel MP holding black Musicians’ Union t-shirts that say ‘It’s time to fix streaming’.

Government Gives View on Measures to Fix Music Streaming

Government has responded to further recommendations from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on music streaming and how to fix it.

Published: 07 November 2024

A laptop screen with a Spotify window open.

MU Calls for Major Changes to Fix Streaming at Second Creator Remuneration Group Meeting

MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl represented musicians and music creators at the second meeting of the Creator Remuneration Group. The meeting focused on getting a better deal from music streaming for featured artists.

Published: 30 May 2024

Close up of a sound engineer sat in front of a large mixing desk.

Why Music Creators Won't Support a Major Label Led Campaign on AI

Record labels and publishers (rights holders) are planning a campaign on AI and they want composers and musicians to back them. MU Assistant General Secretary, Phil Kear, explains why that is such a challenging ask.

Published: 20 May 2024

Naomi Pohl standing outside of Westminster with three other members of the Council of Music Makers.

Fix Streaming Campaign in Westminster for First Creator Remuneration Group Meeting

The Musicians’ Union and Council of Music Makers called for a better deal for musicians and music creators at the first meeting of the Creator Remuneration Group.

Published: 18 April 2024

Black and white image of a session musician in the studio, looking at a screen and mixing desk.

MU Responds to BPI’s Latest Offer for Session Musicians

The BPI’s latest offer for session musicians is not worth the paper it’s written on. In this blog, MU Assistant General Secretary Phil Kear explains why and what the union is doing about it.

Published: 12 March 2024

MU Welcomes Music Streaming Fair Pay Industry Working Group

Government is establishing an industry working group to explore fair pay for musicians and music creators from streaming in a win for the Fix Streaming campaign.

Learn more

Black and white image of young woman sat in front of a laptop playing a guitar resting on her knee.

Join the conversation

@CommonsDCMS ‘A letter sent to Boris Johnson sees a who's who of British musicians backing #BrokenRecord including @PaulMcCartney, Annie Lennox, @coldplay, @JimmyPage, @RobertPlant, @KateBushMusic, @lilyallen, Damon Albarn, @NoelGallagher & more..’

@AnnieLennox

Find out more on AnnieLennox

"Our industry is broken and we're asking the government to help us fix it" - Tom Gray of @gomeztheband on their #BrokenRecord campaign to ask for more equitable returns from music streaming services.

@BBCr4today

Find out more on BBC Radio 4 Today

More than 150 of the UK’s biggest artists have written to the PM calling for reform the current, broken system of music streaming. @UKLabour have long argued musicians should benefit more from their work. The government should listen to these calls and take action.

@JoStevensLabour

Find out more on Jo Stevens

A fabulous thread by @MrTomGray that all session musicians and singers should 👀 and thereafter sign the #BrokenRecord / #FixStreaming / #KeepMusicAlive Petition.

@ChellaMAC90

Find out more on Chella

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

From around the web

The Telegraph

"Paul McCartney and Chris Martin lead 150 artists demanding reform to music streaming laws"

The Guardian

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

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

Pitchfork

How Musicians are Fighting for Streaming Pay During the Pandemic

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

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."

Further Success for Fix Streaming Campaign

IPO Announces New Metadata Code and Remuneration Working Group

The MU and the UK Council of Music Makers welcomes the Intellectual Property Office’s announcement of a new voluntary code to improve metadata and transparency for music creators in another milestone for Fix Streaming.

Black and white image of home recording studio set u, including keyboards, laptop and speakers.

The Trade Unionist Campaigning For Fairer Streaming: #FixStreaming on Drowned in Sound Podcast

MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl appears on the podcast to explain the MU’s role in the process of changing the law, and discusses the wider challenges to be faced over the coming months and years in relation to #FixStreaming.

She goes into particular detail on the wide-ranging Government enquiry into music streaming, and how it’s looking into the current music streaming landscape - including the payment structures and methods used by music streaming platforms, as well as the challenges faced by musicians in receiving appropriate compensation from the platforms and their labels.

Advice

Copyright, moral rights and performers' rights

Recording contracts with labels

Guidance for composers and songwriters

Naomi Pohl

General Secretary

Maddy Radcliff

Campaigns and Social Media Manager

campaigns@themu.org

Graham Davies

CEO

The Ivors Avademy

Jenny Goodwin

Research & Campaign Consultant

The Ivors Academy

Mark Taylor

Director of Membership, Marketing & Communications