Web VI streaming royalty rate-setting process begins; participants revealed

The U.S. Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has released a participant list in “Web VI” — the petitioning and rate-setting process which will determine what streaming outlets must pay music owners in the 2026-2030 royalty period. This every-five-year exercise is conducted by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which sets the rates. Today we learn which streaming entities are participating in the two-year-long legal process. Continue Reading

“A higher barrier to entry.” “Will they double again in 5 years?” Two renowned webcasters share CRB reactions.

As the CRB unleashes higher music licensing fees for webcasters, we ask two pioneering and enduring webcasters for their reactions. Rusty Hodge (SomaFM) and Bill Goldsmith (Radio Paradise) gave us insights and wishes for the industry. Should there be a zero-royalty zone? And how will YouTube play in this field? Continue Reading

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Copyright Royalty Board unleashes new royalty rates for internet radio and streaming music

Delayed five months by Covid, the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) released its new government-regulated royalty rates for the use of recordings on non-interactive streaming. This every-five-year exercise is a crucial business factor for commercial and non-commercial companies which stream music to American audiences. The rate goes up, and minimum payments per channel double. Click for details. Continue Reading

Spotify says it overpaid publishers in 2018 and wants to recoup funds

Spotify’s interactions with publishers and songwriters have gotten even more complicated, with the streaming service claiming that it overpaid on mechanical royalties in 2018. The Copyright Royalty Board issued its mechanical royalty payment rates in December 2018 after the music platform had already paid out almost a full year under a different rate scheme. Continue Reading

Quartet of streaming companies file intent to appeal CRB mechanical royalties

The Copyright Royalty Board rates set for 2018 through 2022 are soon to face a legal challenge. A group of streaming and technology platforms — including Spotify, Google, Pandora, and Amazon — filed notices that they intend to appeal the mechanical statutory licensing rates for that period. Continue Reading

David Oxenford: Court of Appeals Upholds Copyright Royalty Board’s 2015 Webcasting Royalty Rate Decision

by David Oxenford

Years after the decision, SoundExchange is still pushing for an appeal of the Copyright Royalty Board’s determination of webcasting rates for the 2016-2020 period. Legal expert David Oxenford shares some background on how appeals courts review these cases and breaks down the latest ruling. Continue Reading

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Copyright Royalty Board announces small cost of living adjustments for 2018 rates

The Copyright Royalty Board has issued its cost of living adjustments for royalty rates in 2018. The new rate for ad-supported, non-subscription music streaming services in 2018 is $0.0018. Paid subscription services will pay $0.0023 per performance. The previous rates were $0.0017 for ad-supported and $0.0022 for subscription. Continue Reading

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NMPA gets 4,000 to sign songwriter petition to CRB

The National Music Publishers Association is circulating a petition among songwriters to gather support for its case with the Copyright Royalty Board. The CRB will decide on a royalty rate for interactive music streams over the 2018-2022 period over the course of this year, hearing proposals from all sides of the music industry. Continue Reading

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Live365 set to return: Big news for small webcasters

Live365, the internet radio host which catastrophically unplugged its service in January, has resurfaced and is planning to re-open. The re-emergence of a mainstay resource for internet radio stations will come as a shock of good news to small webcasters which have struggled to survive since January, or which have not survived. But the news is full of yet-unanswered questions. Continue Reading