All about copyright, understanding music licensing, and government regulations.
Video/audio streaming site Video has prevailed in a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by major music labels Universal Music Group (UMG) and Sony Music. This is not the first time Vimeo has tangled with labels over the same issue, as RAIN reported in 2016 in Capital Records vs. Vimeo. The fulcrum in both cases is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), enacted in 1998.
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Kobalt, the world’s largest independent music publisher, has acquired an equity stake in leading music licensing company Slipstream. The result is a licensing/content behemoth. The announcement from Slipstream says the deal “brings together complementary technology and expertise to serve the entire music publishing ecosystem, from the world’s top songwriters to brands and creative businesses of all kinds. This significant alliance comes on the heels of Slipstream’s acquisition of Anthem Entertainment earlier this month, also covered by RAIN. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest record company, has sued Believe, the global distributor of music recordins. Believe is also the parent company of leading music distributor TuneCore, which is a popular on-ramp for indie musicians putting their music into global streaming platforms. Click for quotes and link to the court document. Continue Reading
— Leaping (Standard Media Index)
— Ratings Excitement (Jacobs Media) Continue Reading
— Dead Or Alive? (Hear Me Out podcast)
— A Happy Return (Matty Staudt) Continue Reading
“Years of negotiations.” That’s how performing rights organization (PRO) BMI describes its patience and perseverance in royalty dealings with SiriusXM. With patience and perseverance evidently expired, BMI filed a legal action to determine what it calls “fair and appropriate fees.” Click for details — all from BMI’s perspective. No public word from SiriusXM at posting time. Continue Reading
In what seems like a protest action in addition to a logical finance decision, Spotify will raise its subscription rate in France to compensate for a new tax levied by the French government. A public blog post which is both aggressive and defensive makes a case for the streaming giant. “Se simply can’t absorb any additional taxes.” Spotify also disputes whether taxed revenue in France gets where it is supposed to go — assisting artists. Continue Reading
In ASCAP’s just-released annual report for 2023, the performing rights organization announces record-breaking royalty collections on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publisher members. Click for details and charts. Continue Reading
Called the Catch Point Catalog Acquisition Program, the goal is to allow mid- and lower-level songwriters monetize their compositions. The company hopes to realize long-tail value which can be accumulated through many purchases of small catalogs. Click for details. Continue Reading
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
In a flaming accusatory open letter, label giant Universal Music Group verbally eviscerates TikTok for failing to meet UMG’s royalty terms. The statement is posted on the final day of an existing royalty contract between the two giants. Continue Reading
The European Parliament, a 705-member body which works with the European Union to consider and create legislation, has issued a statement regarding artist payment by streaming music platforms. This week the EP called for new EU rules regulating a “fair and sustainable” streaming sector, and cultural diversity. In short, the European Parliament wants streaming royalty calculations to be revised to favor “less popular” music. Continue Reading