Government agrees to establish working group to investigate fair pay for artists

A working group has been set up in the UK exploring issues surrounding fair pay for artists, and what can be done to correct current rates of pay.

The UK government agreed to establish an industry working group this week, which was initially recommended by the CMS Committee in a report earlier this year.

The group, made up of experts from across the music industry, will consider how artists are paid by streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal.

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"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,” says Culture Media and Sports Committee Chair, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.

The working group was set up following a call for musicians to earn 50% of their share in royalties from MPs, with a “complete reset” on music streaming. It was put forward in an investigation by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS).

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At the time, UK record labels were said to generate £736.5 million from streaming, while artists only saw around 16% of that. The UK watchdog launched a study into streaming services with “excessive power” at the start of 2022.

“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,” adds Dinenage.

“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."

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter