Music streaming royalties to be discussed by government

The music streaming industry is to be investigated by the government over suggestions that artists do not receive their fair share of royalties

There are concerns songwriters and artists receive much less money than record labels when tracks are played on streaming services such as Spotify.

There are also reports that session musicians do not receive any payment for streams at all.

An industry working group will be set up to look into these concerns.

The government has been investigating music streaming since 2019, and in 2021 identified an “imbalance” in royalties.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee investigating the industry, said it was a “welcome step towards addressing the frustrations of musicians and songwriters whose pay falls far short of a fair level”.

But it should result in concrete change and not be just a “talking shop”, she added.

In 2020, the government heard from musicians such as guitarist, producer and songwriter Nile Rodgers, who said record labels retain up to 82% of the royalties they receive from streaming services.