One of the current debates going on in music is a royalty rate to be assessed on internet radio stations and other new media. Tons of internet radio fans as well as internet stations and internet DJ’s are up in arms crying foul. I’m torn because there’s good and bad on both sides of the issue. Here’s the gist. There’s a a royalty that is collected for the writers and publishers of a song. That’s collected across the board on anything that is aired on Radio, TV, Film, Internet Radio, Satellite, etc. However, there is a second royalty that has largely been ignored in the U.S. but is paid in just about every other country in the world. That is the performers royalty.
It’s this performers royalty that is causing the major uproar. The problem is, how it’s being presented to music fans is mostly with FUD. Meaning the truth behind it is being smeared to look bad, as well as to create confusion and fear. The copyright board and Sound Exchange have been working at getting this royalty to be collected for several years now. Unfortunately during that time a vast majority of Internet broadcasters had been thumbing their noses at Sound Exchange and that royalty in general. Currently it’s coming into law that the rate will now rise and be collected retroactively. Because broadcasters are suddenly facing the concept of being forced to pay something they should have been paying all along but most chose to ignore – they’re now crying foul and claiming it will put them out of business. This is a case where had they come to the table to work with it in the first place, these netcasters wouldn’t be in this position.
As a performing musician I welcome this change. I’m tired of businesses building themselves huge profits on the backs on the labor myself and my comrades produce. Meaning I’m tired of someone building a multimillion dollar business based on music and crying about having to actually pay for the work they’re so happy to use. The largest part of this equation isn’t the netcasters, it’s corporate radio that you get using your car/home stereo, etc. They have the means to pay this royalty but were the original lobbiests to having it denied many years ago. It’s high time that the copyright board and Sound Exchange goes after broadcast radio, TV, and film. That way, the performers royalty is being collected across the mediums and not being unfairly assessed by the smallest and newest (net radio).
Once that is in place it will be a new paradigm for musicians. It will mean that the actual artist/band will receive a royalty for their work being broadcast. Right now, if my version of a song like ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ gets played on the air, I don’t get paid, but Bill Withers does. Despite it being the fruits of my labor giving life to his song. If I lived in the U.K. it would be a different story. I’d get paid. What’s that? Yes, artists outside of America get paid a performers royalty. Though it’s not reciprocal at the moment. Meaning if my version got aired in the U.K. They’d collect that royalty but it would not make it to my pocket, but Bill Withers would still get his share. Visa Versa, if a U.K. artist gets aired in America they don’t collect a performance royalty, but their writer still gets his share. See the problem with this?
So while I understand why netcasters and a majority of their listeners are running up and down the net screaming bloody murder like a chicken with it’s head cut off, it’s generally because they’re not being reasonable. Hopefully the noise generated by all the screaming will lead to the royalty getting collected across the board in a fair manner and not causing netcasters to go out of business. For if a bunch of netcasters go out of business, then you won’t be hearing much music like today’s choice.
Donny Singer is in a niche market. One that is not popular by any stretch of the imagination. At least not as popular as it was say in the 70’s when Progressive Rock had it heyday. Most broadcast radio won’t touch this sound anymore. However, for people that love it there are some net stations out there that would. I’m not sure if the performers royalty would allow him to retire on his creation if it were played on net radio. But it would at least be a means for him to have an incentive to keep creating what he loves.
Which side are you on with this royalty payment? Do you agree with it? If you don’t agree with it, why? Do you really believe an artist doesn’t deserve to be compensated for their work? Who’s flow do you go with?
p.s. I’m sure if you love Donnie’s song enough you’ll buy it. That’s the ultimate form of support right there. No matter how you slice it.