Government agrees to establish music industry working group

Issues on fair pay for creators in the music streaming industry will be explored

The government has agreed to establish a music industry working group following recommendations made by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee. The announcement on 30 May, which follows the publication of the Committee’s follow-up to its 2021 report on the economics of music streaming, explains that the new working group will explore issues around fair pay for creators in the music streaming industry.

The Committee specifically recommended in its follow-up report in January that more action be taken to ensure creators and performers receive a fairer share of the money made from streaming music. According to the government’s letter to the Committee confirming the establishment of the new working group, it 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.’

Following research and engagement with stakeholders on music streaming and creator remuneration, the government states that many creators still have concerns about how they are paid for streaming. In particular, despite terms in new contracts being increasingly creator friendly, such benefits are often not extended to creators signed to older contracts, according to the government. In addition to this, session musicians have raised concerns that they are not sharing equitably in the successes of the streaming sector

Commenting on the announcement, Chair of the Culture Media and Sports Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, 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.”