WASHINGTON, DC. (Top40 Charts/ SoundExchange PR) -
Music recording artists from across the country today announced their enthusiastic support for the new digital royalty rates announced on March 2nd by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB). The new rates better align the per stream compensation performing artists and record labels received from the digital play of their music with the fair market value of their work.
Artists are expressing gratitude for a decision that recognizes that music is not an entitlement to be used - especially as the cornerstone of someone else's business - without fair pay to its creators. "If music adds commercial value to someone's site, then there is a monetary value due the writers and recording artists," said Jody Stephens of Big Star and Golden Smog. "The decision by the Copyright Royalty Board helps us afford to continue to add this value of music."
"A lot of internet users think of music as a product created and generated by major labels with corporate megadollars and so think nothing of taking or paying very little to use this music," added recording artist Michelle Shocked. "But the evidence shows that a large majority of music is now created by independent artists with very small margins trying earn a living and it's in that context that the recent decision to raise the internet broadcasting rates are seen as an encouragement to creativity and independence."
Although the CRB reviewed testimony from 66 witnesses and thousands of pages of documents relating to the economics of internet radio and online simulcasts, and although they considered arguments and proposals from everyone who had an interest in these proceedings, the highly detailed 115 page ruling was met with a viscerally negative reaction from a vocal minority seeking to profit from low rates.
But artists nationwide countered that those web sites cannot just assume they can build their businesses without paying the fair costs of doing business. "Internet radio is nothing without the music provided by the songwriters and performers, so why shouldn't they, who are providing the music that generates the income, be compensated for their efforts and talents?" said international dance music recording artist Kristine W. ("One More Time"). "As with any profession, the quality of work is sure to deteriorate if the true artists need to find other ways to earn an income in order to survive."
From across the musical spectrum, artists expressed their sense of appreciation for new distribution platforms for people to connect to their music, but were also bewildered by the notion that artists shouldn't be treated fairly. Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Harold Ray Bradley noted, "I've been a recording musician for sixty-one years and although a lot of people don't know my name, they've heard me playing on their favorite recordings by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Tammy Wynette, Jimmy Dean, Lorettta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Henry Mancini, Joan Baez and many others. I know just how hard musicians work, just how valuable our creativity is to the businesses that play our recordings, and just how important it is to musicians to be paid fairly so we can continue to make music. The Copyright Royalty Board got it right."
Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister added, "With the shrinking royalties from the usual sources, the ever expanding digital universe is apparently becoming the future and, before our very eyes, it is here now. I wholeheartedly support all organizations that endeavor to collect and account to all the hard working artists whose material is exploited. I applaud these new royalty increases as they scratch the surface of the new world order."
When the CRB announced the higher royalty rate, SoundExchange, the organization representing artists and labels during the two years of hearings, hailed the decision as recognition of the fair value of artists' hard work and creativity. "This is money that these performers earned. The most important principle held up here is fairness," said John Simson, president of SoundExchange. "These royalties provide an important source of income for not only for performers, but for session musicians, background vocalists, and other performers who don't receive any royalties from traditional means like CD sales." Simson noted that more than 65 percent of all royalties collected by SoundExchange are distributed to independent labels and artists. "These labels and performers, like the webcasters, are small businesses trying to sustain their viability and even make a profit," added Simpson.
Anyone who loves music is adapting to and embracing a new technology- driven world in how we appreciate, discover and share the incredible talents of performers everywhere.
"As technology changes the way people consume music, it's critical that copyright authorities protect the rights of artists by working with new media companies to create easy and clear ways to comply with copyright laws. Certainly this recent decision recognizes this challenge and the rights artists have to be compensated for their work. It's a step in the right direction," said Phil Hawken of independent label ESL Music.
For more information or a copy of the CRB decision please visit https://www.capwiz.com/soundexchange/home/.
