Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Deferred
Paragraph: 83
Music streaming revenue split does not reflect importance of songwriters and composers.
Conclusion
The revenue split between recording and publishing rights does not reflect the importance of songwriters, composers and publishers in the music streaming process. We note that the Competition and Markets Authority has also concluded that it is for the Government to determine what is needed to reach an optimal split.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of fair remuneration but believes industry negotiations are the best approach. It welcomes further views through the Creator Remuneration Working Group before considering any direct intervention.
Paragraph Reference:
83
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
It is important that creators and rights holders, including songwriters and publishers, are appropriately remunerated for the use of their works. This is what allows them to invest their time, effort, and money into creating new music, to the benefit of the public. The government believes that the best way to achieve appropriate remuneration is through negotiations between users and rights holders, underpinned by an effective and balanced copyright regime. Under this regime, song rights holders have achieved increases in their share of streaming revenues, rising from around 8% of revenues in 2008 to 15% of revenues in 2021, as reported in the CMA’s market study into music and streaming. The government therefore welcomes views from songwriters, publishers, and other stakeholders on this issue, and the Creator Remuneration Working Group is the right forum through which they can be expressed, and potential industry-led actions explored in the first instance, before considering further intervention.