MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl speaking at the CMM gathering in December 2022. Image credit: The MU ©
The Fix Streaming campaign by the Musicians’ Union and The Ivors Academy has made the issues with streaming undeniable.
Now, with the DCMS Select Committee supporting our collective aims, and major music corporations and global streaming platforms increasingly recognising the need for change in the interests of artists and creators, the UK’s Council of Music Makers (CMM) is calling for the music industry to unite behind five foundational changes required to deliver the future to which we now all aspire.
Building a new artist and creator centred future
Ahead of a meeting with Government Ministers in June, the CMM is calling on record labels, music publishers and digital platforms to work with the CMM and the Intellectual Property Office to deliver five changes that are fundamental to building a new “artist-and-creator-centric” future:
- All featured artists should receive a modern, minimum digital royalty rate, with unrecouped balances written off after a term, on a rolling basis, without any additional conditions
- All session musicians – including all non featured performers, such as orchestral players - should see the benefit of the streaming boom, on both new recordings and catalogue
- All music-makers should have an opportunity to revise outdated old contract terms, making old deals fit for purpose in the modern music business. Remuneration should always be fair and appropriate
- All songwriters and artists must be given transparency on how their music is monetised by each digital platform. That includes proactively communicating how monies are allocated to each music-maker's songs and recordings, and then shared with and paid through to them
- The whole industry should ensure that all required music rights data is in the system before release. Every music-maker should always be credited for their contribution and digital royalties must reach songwriters as quickly and accurately as they do for artists.
Together we can fix streaming
In a collective statement, the CMM said: “As the Council of Music Makers we stand united in our desire to build a system where streaming offers more equitable rewards to all those who compose, perform and produce music.
“While it is heartening to see major music companies share our conclusion that change is necessary, it is disappointing that we have seen few meaningful commitments on the five fundamental areas already put on the table at the Intellectual Property Office.
“Ahead of our meeting with Ministers on 23 June we urge our label and publishing partners to join us in taking the necessary actions so we can all unite and create the impetus for future growth.”
About the Council of Music Makers
The Council of Music Makers brings together the organisations that represent those who compose, record, perform and produce the music we all love – the Musicians’ Union, The Ivors Academy, Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum and Music Producers Guild.