American Consultant Deborah Ross (Democrat from North Carolina). Provide an updated version of the Musicians Safety Act in an try to alter the way in which unbiased artists have interaction with main streaming platforms. Created in collaboration with the American Affiliation of Unbiased Music (A2IM) and the Artists Rights Alliance (ARA), the up to date invoice goals to “degree the enjoying discipline” for artists within the digital age and world of AI-generated music.
“This laws will assist give small, unbiased creators a degree enjoying discipline, empowering them to face collectively for fairer compensation and giving them a voice in vital negotiations that can decide the way forward for the music business,” Ross stated.
Because it stands, present legal guidelines go away many artists, whether or not signed to a significant label or working independently, unprotected and on the mercy of main streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. These firms don’t at all times present truthful compensation to artists when their music is uploaded and streamed on platforms. Unbiased artists are sometimes compelled to just accept when charges are quoted with out with the ability to collectively negotiate for higher phrases. Moreover, there is no such thing as a actual safety for artists from their voice or music being manipulated by AI with out their consent.
If handed, the Working Musicians Safety Act would permit working artists and unbiased musicians to satisfy and negotiate with dominant streaming platforms and AI builders. It could additionally give working artists and unbiased musicians the power to collectively refuse to license their music to on-line music distribution platforms that refuse to pay truthful market worth.
It may be stated that many artists have at all times had a uncooked deal for many years in terms of the gross sales and distribution of their music. Within the days of album downloads and CD purchases, this cash was often cut up in a number of methods, leaving solely a small quantity for the artist. Sadly, the unfair compensation supplied by streaming platforms is simply the most recent cycle of a long-standing drawback. And it isn’t simply musicians who’re affected. For years, streaming giants like Netflix have been providing low wages to their writers, contributing to a strike by Writers Guild of America members.
