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44 Conservative MPs Back Key Measures to Fix Streaming

Forty-four Conservative MPs are calling for key measures to fix streaming and keep music alive.

Photo ofMaddy Radcliff
By Maddy Radcliff Published: 05 November 2021 | 12:22 PM Updated: 08 November 2021 | 10:29 AM
A guitar player in a function band, we can see the back of the neck of an electric guitar looking out over a blurred audience
A Bill to introduce equitable remuneration and other key measures will be debated in Parliament on 3 December. Photo credit: Shutterstock

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the MPs highlighted the gap between musician and major label earnings. “These huge and often foreign-owned multinational corporations have done astronomically well this past year compared to artists,” the MPs explained.

Writing for The Times, Esther McVey MP added, “The lives of thousands of British musicians are being abused by a small number of individuals who wield extraordinary power.”

The Conservative MPs’ comments reflect the findings of the music streaming inquiry, which called out the “pitiful returns” for musicians and called for a “complete reset” of the streaming model.

A call for Equitable remuneration Boris Johnson can’t ignore

The 44 MPs are calling for a change in the law to put the value of music back where it belongs – in the hands of music makers.

Their call for equitable remuneration echoes a letter sent to the Prime Minister by over 220 of UK music’s great and good – including The Rolling Stones, Annie Lennox, Yoko Ono, Stevie Nicks, Sir Paul McCartney, Joan Armatrading, Jimmy Page, Kate Bush, Paloma Faith, Kano, Lily Allen, The Chemical Brothers, Massive Attack, Beverley Knight, Niall Horan, Alt J, and Skin.

“If we want our kids to have the same ability to go and see great live music, or preserve a thriving market for recorded music that encourages artists to commit their time, talent and resources to producing recorded music, we’ve got to fix streaming so that it pays like radio,” said Esther McVey MP.

Adding power to our call for change

The intervention by 44 Conservative MPs adds power to our collective call to Fix Streaming – which has already won a Select Committee inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and a referral Competition & Markets Authority (CMA). Streaming will be the next market study the CMA launches.

The next milestone in the campaign to fix streaming takes place on 3 December, when a Bill to introduce equitable remuneration and other key measures will be debated in Parliament.

Be sure your voice is heard in the debate:

  1. Email your MP using our template letter (updated November 2021)
  2. Tweet your support for the Bill using the hashtags #FixStreaming and #BrokenRecord
  3. Sign the petition calling on the Prime Minister to fix streaming
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