UK government to look into how music streaming royalties from Spotify and Apple Music get allocated after complaints from artists including Chic’s Nile Rodgers.
Music streaming royalties are to be looked at by the UK government.
Writers, performers and other industry creatives have spoken about for years the unfairness of their royalty share when their work is played on services like Spotify and Apple Music and now the government will discuss these issues after investigating the problem since 2019.
In 2021, they claimed there was an “imbalance” in financial compensation and established a working group to gauge how artists are paid.
Sir John Whittingdale, the minister for creative industries labelled the development as way for the UK to “offer viable career opportunities”.
He continued: “This landmark agreement on streaming metadata is a step towards ensuring UK musicians in the digital age are fairly credited and compensated for their contributions and creativity.”
“I’m pleased to be bringing the industry together so we can explore wider issues around music creator remuneration more generally.”
Dame Caroline Dineage, the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee deemed the decision a “welcome step towards addressing the frustrations of musicians and songwriters whose pay falls far short of a fair level”.
She urged their work to result in actual reform and not be “talking shop”.
Chic legend Nile Rodgers claimed in 2020 that labels kept up to 82 per cent of the money earnt from streamers.
He said: “It’s not the streaming services that we have the problem with, it’s fantastic that they can distribute our product in such an effective wonderful way and keep a great digital trail. It’s the labels that are perpetrating this.”
UK government to look into music streaming royalties
