Economics of music streaming: Government accepts CMS Committee recommendation on industry remuneration working group

29 May 2023 - Press release

 

The Government has agreed to establish an industry working group to explore issues around fair pay for creators in the music streaming industry, as recommended by the CMS Committee in its report earlier this year. 

The announcement of the new group is made in a letter from the Department to Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage. The Committee's report in January was a follow-up to its original 2021 report on the Economics of music streaming and called for more to be done to ensure creators and performers receive a fairer cut of the money made from streaming music.

According to the Government, the new group will be composed of representatives and experts from across the music sector and will 'explore and develop industry-led actions that support fair remuneration for existing and future music creators as part of a successful and globally competitive music industry'.

The Committee's original report concluded that 'metadata issues compound the poor terms on which creators are remunerated' and called for Government and industry action.  The Committee is awaiting detail of progress on this issue between the Government and industry and will want to be confident that all sides are working in the interests of artists.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee, said: "The creation of a working group we have been calling for is a welcome step towards addressing the frustrations of musicians and songwriters whose pay falls far short of a fair level given their central role in the success of the music streaming industry. The Government must now make sure the group is more than a talking shop and leads to concrete change so the talented creators and performers we have in this country are properly rewarded for their creativity. The Committee will be keeping a close eye on progress and also looking more widely at artist and creator remuneration to ensure everyone who works in our creative industries can share in its successes."