Music Business

Music Business, Music News

Roblox and DistroKid Deal: What It Means for Indie Artists

Roblox, the popular online platform that allows users to create and share games, has struck a deal with DistroKid, a leading independent music distribution service. This collaboration is set to allow DistroKid artists to upload their music directly to Roblox, making it available for use in games and experiences across the platform. However, one controversial […]

Roblox and DistroKid Deal: What It Means for Indie Artists Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

Streaming’s New Beat: The Rise and Debate of the ‘Artist-Centric’ Payment Model

UMG and Deezer introduced a new “artist-centric” payment model for streaming, gaining traction with Wagram Music’s endorsement. While some laud the model for its potential to revolutionize payouts, others stress the importance of inclusivity, transparency, and support for emerging artists. Proposals include subsidizing new artists through top earners, a flat fee for track uploads, anti-fraud measures, and continuous price adjustments. The challenge lies in balancing fairness, genuine music content, and industry growth.

Streaming’s New Beat: The Rise and Debate of the ‘Artist-Centric’ Payment Model Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

Did Ed Sheeran Infringe Copyright? The Debate Continues

The End of a Legal Battle After a prolonged legal battle, the estate of Ed Townsend, co-writer of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” has formally ended their court battle with Ed Sheeran over their claims that Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” copied the iconic 1970s R&B song.  Jury’s Verdict In May, a jury in a

Did Ed Sheeran Infringe Copyright? The Debate Continues Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

The Music Industry’s Looming Royalty Debate: Who Should Get Paid?

​ Earlier this week, Tim Ingham at Music Business Worldwide published an insightful analysis on emerging tensions in how the distribution of streaming royalties might change. Specifically, Tim examined proposals by a major music corporation and a well-known streaming service to implement an “artist-centric” royalty model that appears to take inspiration from approaches used by

The Music Industry’s Looming Royalty Debate: Who Should Get Paid? Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

Streaming Scandals and Spotify: Unveiling the Underbelly of Music’s Digital Revolution

You might have heard whispers about streaming fraud lurking in the corners of the music business. It seems to be a pesky game of hide and seek that platforms like Spotify are grappling with. Let’s dive a bit deeper into this narrative, shall we? A recent expose by Svenska Dagbladet, a Swedish newspaper, sheds light

Streaming Scandals and Spotify: Unveiling the Underbelly of Music’s Digital Revolution Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

Why a BMI Sale to Private Equity Could Be a Good Thing for Songwriters

Yesterday, I wrote a post exploring the potential downsides for songwriters of a BMI sale to private equity. I laid out the legitimate concerns around declining royalty distributions and lack of transparency. However, after reflecting further, I decided to challenge myself to see if I could make a case for why the deal could potentially

Why a BMI Sale to Private Equity Could Be a Good Thing for Songwriters Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

BMI Sale to Private Equity: Major Red Flags for Songwriters

The Crucial Role of Performing Rights Organizations Performing rights organization BMI is exploring a sale to private equity, and songwriters are right to be extremely concerned. As a passionate industry observer and advocate for fair creator compensation, I’m taking a deep dive into what this deal could mean for writers’ incomes. For those less familiar

BMI Sale to Private Equity: Major Red Flags for Songwriters Read Post »

Music Business, Music News

SoundExchange vs. Sirius XM: The Royalty Battle Continues

SoundExchange is once again at odds with Sirius XM, accusing them of misrepresenting and underpaying royalties related to their internet streaming service. This conflict revolves around the distinction between Sirius’ two primary services: its satellite subscription and internet streaming. Given that the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board has set different royalty rates for each, the lawsuit

SoundExchange vs. Sirius XM: The Royalty Battle Continues Read Post »

Scroll to Top