Equitable remuneration for performers would mean a guaranteed income stream for all musicians whose performances appear on streamed tracks. Photo credit: Shutterstock
If passed on 3 December, Kevin Brennan MP’s Private Members' Bill would introduce equitable remuneration and other measures to put the value of music back where it belongs – in your hands.
Ask your MP to support the bill now
Fair pay from day one
The Bill introduces a right to equitable remuneration for performers. This would mean a guaranteed income stream for all musicians whose performances appear on streamed tracks.
That includes money for session players, who currently get no royalties for their work. And it means an income from the very first stream, also helping featured artists who don’t get paid for their work because they remain unrecouped with their labels for upfront advances, recording, and marketing costs.
Fixing the ‘broken record’ industry
As well as introducing equitable remuneration, the Bill fixes other issues with the music streaming model that disadvantage UK musicians and music creators.
It includes measures that other countries already have in place to protect musicians and music creators from bad contracts, unfair payments, and a lack of transparency through an increased ability to undertake contract reversion and adjustment.
These would go a long way to making the UK the best place in the world to be a musician, songwriter or composer – and help our members make a sustainable living from their work.
Driving change in the industry
Our collective call to Fix Streaming has already won a Select Committee inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and a referral to the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).
There is no doubt MPs are listening – the recent intervention by 44 Conservative MPs in support of fixing streaming proves that.
We also have the support of international organisations and campaigns who are looking to what happens here as an example. If this Bill passes, it will have a global impact.
But it’s not going to be easy. We are up against powerful interest groups who do not want this Bill to pass. The 3 December is also a Friday, when MPs tend to return to their constituencies.
It is crucial that as many MPs as possible turn up and vote for this Bill. Email your MP to ask for their vote. If you’re not sure what to say, you can use this template letter – it has all the information MPs need, space for you to share your own experiences, and links to find your MP’s email address.