BPI statement on DCMS announcement on CRWG/economics of music streaming: BPI Principles recommend targeted support for UK legacy artists, songwriters, and session musicians

23 July 2025 - Press release

Sophie Jones, BPI’s Chief Strategy Officer said: 

“After five years of detailed scrutiny and analysis, we are pleased to put in place these creator remuneration principles for UK labels in response to specific concerns identified in the UK’s streaming debate. 

“Many more artists are succeeding in the era of streaming than ever before - and we are confident that these targeted measures will lead to positive and sustainable outcomes and support for legacy artists, songwriters and session musicians, and ensure that our members’ significant ongoing investment into the development of British talent and the growth of our world leading UK music industry will be to the benefit of all. 

“This has been a collaborative process and we are grateful to our members and fellow trade organisations for their expertise and to Minister Chris Bryant and the DCMS officials for their stewardship of this process.”

 

The package announced today will be recommended by the BPI to all UK labels as a framework to: 

• Help legacy artists benefit from the opportunities of music streaming by disregarding pre-2000 unrecouped advances, providing bespoke marketing tools and support to improve engagement on streaming services, and offering greater clarity on the process of contract renegotiation in appropriate cases. 

• Support new and emerging songwriter talent by paying per diems and/or expenses when inviting them to label-hosted song writing sessions. 

• Increase minimum session musician rates through a new agreement between the BPI and the Musicians’ Union.

 

The UK divisions of the three major label groups, Sony Music Entertainment UK, Universal Music UK. and Warner Music UK, have committed to implementing the principles and will be communicating their own individual company programmes to benefit the legacy artists, songwriters and musicians they work with. The major company programmes alone represent an investment of tens of millions of pounds into the UK music industry by 2030. 

The BPI also recommends the package to its 500+ independent label members, who are encouraged to introduce similar targeted support in a manner that is proportionate and fitting with the specifics of their businesses.

More information on the background of the Creator Remuneration Working Group can be found on the government webpage.