January 16, 2024
Have you ever craved the wisdom and insight of a true musical genius? Enter Alicia Keys and her MasterClass, a captivating journey into the heart of songwriting and music production...
Read moreJanuary 14, 2024
Yasiin "Mos Def" Bey stirred up the hip-hop community recently with his candid remarks about Drake's music, stating, "Drake is pop to me." The acclaimed lyricist did not mince words...
Read moreJanuary 13, 2024
Noteworthy is the absence of Drake, sparking questions about the collaboration that never materialized. While the album showcases collaborations with artists like Doja Cat and Lil Durk, Drake's....
Read moreJanuary 12, 2024
Breaking new ground, Jay-Z and D'Angelo have united for the first time, giving birth to the enchanting single, "I Want You Forever."
Read moreJanuary 10, 2024
In a triumphant moment that left the global music community buzzing with excitement, the multi-talented Jung Kook of BTS secured his place as the Artist of the Year at the Circle Chart Music Awards...
Read moreDecember 26, 2023
However, a few thrash metal bands broke through this barrier and became very popular. This article will discuss the history of one such band: Metallica, which is arguably...
Read moreDecember 22, 2023
In an enormous climax to their breakout year, Sleep Token, the anonymous alt-metal sensation, marked their journey with a massive headlining sold out show at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, U.K...
Read moreDecember 21, 2023
Bad Omens' alt-metal breakout, "Just Pretend," has transcended its origins as an ironic parody to become a genuine No. 1 radio rock hit...
Read moreDecember 20, 2023
In tribute Eminem is featured on a new single called "Lace It," which is a moving homage to the late rapper Juice WRLD, whose 25th birthday was only two weeks ago...
Read moreDecember 20, 2023
In 1967, Elton John responded to an advertisement put out by Liberty Records and was asked to compose a song for a set of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, another young musician...
Read moreDecember 18, 2023
In a series of recent interviews, legendary music producer Timbaland has expressed profound admiration for fellow artist Kanye West, likening him to a "Greek god" and lauding him...
Read moreDecember 18, 2023
In an astounding display of musical dominance, Nicki Minaj's latest release, 'Pink Friday 2,' is reshaping the landscape of hip-hop and music charts worldwide...
Read moreBMI
Songwriters, composers, and publishers have long been underpaid when it comes to the live concert industry. However, a successful court case may be the first step to changing that.
On March 28, Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) won its federal rate court case against Live Nations, AEG, and the North American Concert Promoters Association (NACPA). The win results in an increase in the live performance revenue rate and base for songwriters, composers, and publishers.
Before we get into the details of what BMI’s win entails, let’s start with who BMI is.
According to their website, BMI was founded in 1939 and is the largest music rights organization in the US. BMI wants to be the “bridge between songwriters and the businesses and organizations that want to play their music publicly.” They represent over 20.6 million musical works from more than 1.3 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers.
Needless to say, BMI is pushing for big changes in the live music industry. So what has their latest win resulted in?
For context, from 1998 to 2017 the revenue rate these groups were paid by promoters was as follows:
Now, these rates have changed to the following:
Furthermore, this new revenue rate and base also apply to the period of mid-2018 through Dec. 31, 2022.
“This is a massive victory for BMI and the songwriters, composers, and publishers we represent. It will have a significant and long-term positive impact on the royalties they receive for the live concert category. We are gratified the Court agreed with BMI’s position that the music created by songwriters and composers is the backbone of the live concert industry and should be valued accordingly. Today’s decision also underscores BMI’s continued mission to fight on behalf of our affiliates, no matter how long it takes, to ensure they receive fair value for their creative work.” - Mike O’Neill, BMI President.
Unfortunately, BMI’s results fell short of what they originally wanted. The changes that were rejected include:
Despite its full request not being fulfilled, BMI’s win was a step in the right direction for recognizing the important work of songwriters, composers, and publishers.
If you’d like to read more details on the case, check out Billboard’s article here!