The Rolling Stones And Other UK Musicians Seek Payment Reforms When Their Songs Are Streamed Online

Few of the major artists in the UK are requesting the government to bring reform of the payment method for the musicians, while their songs are distributed and streamed on the internet.

The Rolling Stones and Sir Tom Jones are among the bunch of artists who have written to the Prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, that “the law is not maintained as per the rapid pace of technological change,” in settlement of the payments.

Who Are Supporting The Cause?

Published for the first time in the open letter, which is now a signature of all, of every contemporary artist who has their name in the Desert Island discs by Johnson.

Among the 234, there are also well known names like Sir Paul McCartney, Van Morrison and Joe Strummer’s estate.

The current generation of pop stars, Kayak, rock band Wolf Alice, and the pop star Jessie Ware.

Why?

Their argument is that the streaming services and record labels take in billions of dollars in revenue, but to distribute it fairly among artists is no where a close deal.

“Today’s musicians receive very little income from their performances – most featured artists receive tiny fractions of a US cent per stream and session musicians receive nothing at all,” the letter reads.

‘Change Is Need’

It goes on to suggest that “only two words needs to change” in the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act to make streaming services pay musicians roughly the same as radio stations.

Explanation: When songs are played on the radio, the royalties are split between the label and the artists/composers, as well as a small part of the go-to session musician, and supporting the artists is, a system which is known as a fair and just distribution .

On streaming services, labels retain the majority of the money – with the artist receiving about 13% on average, and session musicians receiving nothing.

It is argued that the eu member States, including the uk, should look at the issue of just compensation, as a potential solution.