A bill was introduced in the US this week to close a longstanding gap in copyright law around sound-recordings made prior to 1972, which currently fall outside of federal protection. The legislation does not address another contentious issue that has long been a source of dispute: Broadcast radio stations do not have to pay royalties to artists and labels for airplay, even though the music industry has long sought legislation to require compensation for broadcasts of performances. The Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service and Important Contributions to Society Act (CLASSICS) would make the owners of the pre-1972 recordings eligible for royalties for digital broadcast. It would also ensure that artists are entitled to the same share of royalties, regardless of whether a label and a digital music platform reach an agreement on payment. SoundExchange would distribute the royalties. In addition to its own content, SoundExchange's service includes streaming audio from other services such as Spotify or Deezer, along with podcasts, radio shows, audiobooks and more.
A bill was introduced in the US this week to close a longstanding gap in copyright law around sound-recordings made prior to 1972, which currently fall outside of federal protection. The Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service and Important Contributions to Society Act (CLASSICS) would make the owners of the pre-1972 recordings eligible for royalties for digital broadcast. It would also ensure that artists are entitled to the same share of royalties, regardless of whether a label and a digital music platform reach an agreement on payment. SoundExchange would distribute the royalties. In addition to its own content, SoundExchange's service includes streaming audio from other services such as Spotify or Deezer, along with podcasts, radio shows, audiobooks and more.