RAIN Notes: August 26
Driving Return (Paul Riismandel)
Her America (Dolly Parton)
More than fair (MC Lyte) Continue Reading
SoundExchange
Collection yes; enforcement no — in SoundExchange court decision
Performance rights organization (PRO) SoundExchange, the mandated royalty collection agency for digital music performance royalties, has lost a ruling in its effort to gain allowance of legal actions against broadcasters. The controversy is occurring in US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Click for details. Continue Reading
AccuRadio Seeks Chapter 11 Protection, Citing Broken Royalty System and SoundExchange Litigation
Venerable streaming service and RAIN News sponsor AccuRadio is starting the process of bankruptcy protection in Chicago. The action comes after several months of negotiation with government mandated music royalty collection agency SoundExchange. That negotiation is at an impasse, according… Continue Reading
American Music Fairness Act reenters Congress, probably bound for stalemate
It has been in circulation since 2021, when the American Music Fairness Act was introduced to Congress.The proposed bill intends to rectify what musicians and their chief lobbying organization, SoundExchange, call a “decades-long injustice.” The argument is over a historical anamoly which has always exempted broadcast radio stations from paying creator royalties — songwriters for the most part. Continue Reading
SoundExchange sues LivexLive and Slacker for “millions” in unpaid royalties
Royalty collection and distribution agency SoundExchange announced this week (press release here) that is has filed suit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Slacker, Inc. and its parent company LiveOne, Inc. to recover… Continue Reading
SoundExchange promotes Tim Dadson to General Counsel
Tim Dadson, who joined SoundExchange in 2012 as Assistant General Counsel, and was made Deputy General Counsel in 2017, has been promoted to General Counsel. He will report directly to President and CEO Michael Huppe. Continue Reading
SoundExchange: $947M distributed to U.S. record industry in 2020
U.S. government-regulated collection agency SoundExchange distributed $947-million in online performance royalties last year. The money went to labels and independent owners of recorded music in 2020. It’s a 4.3% lift from 2019 distributions. Continue Reading
David Oxenford: Copyright Royalty Board Decision on Webcasting Royalties Expected by June 14 – What Will the Streaming Rates for 2021-2025 Be?
by David Oxenford
This vital guest column by David Oxenford summarizes the royalty rate arguments put before the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) for a ruling expected by mid-June. In normal times that ruling would have been delivered before January 1, but this every-five-year cycle has been delayed by Covid. The outcome will chart the financial course for webcasters of all sizes in the 2021-2025 period.
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Colin Rushing, SoundExchange, honored as Billboard Top Lawyer
Colin Rushing, Chief Legal Officer of SoundExchange and RAIN Summit speaker, is honored in Billboard’s release of its Top Music Lawyers 2021. It is the only award in its category (Performing Rights) that relates directly and exclusively to streaming audio. Continue Reading
SoundExchange ups Colin Rushing to chief legal officer
SoundExchange announced that Colin Rushing has been promoted to its chief legal officer. Rushing has been with the organization for more than a decade, and has served as its senior Vice President and general counsel since 2014. Continue Reading
SoundExchange Q1 distributions rose to $224 million
SoundExchange released its Digital Radio Report with details about its first quarter of 2020. The organization paid out $224 million in the first three months of the year, an increase from its Q1 2019 payout of $220.7 million. Continue Reading
SoundExchange petitions government to address inequities it claims cost U.S. creators $170M a year
SoundExchange has made a move to increase the rates paid to American music creators for international uses of their work. The rights management agency for performance royalties claims that U.S. music creators could be losing out on $170 million annually from this use case. Continue Reading