NMPA - CMU | the music business explained

As the bundling discount war continues, Spotify agrees video licence for indie music publishers

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Spotify • 2 min read

As the bundling discount war continues, Spotify agrees video licence for indie music publishers

Spotify has launched a scheme with the US National Music Publishers Association allowing smaller publishers to opt-in to new licensing deals covering video content. For its core music service Spotify relies on the compulsory licence within the US, but that doesn’t apply when music is used in videos…

Chris Cooke • 12 Nov 2025

Spotify says publishers issuing takedowns against podcasts is a “press stunt” in response to the MLC’s bundling lawsuit being dismissed

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Spotify • 3 min read

Spotify says publishers issuing takedowns against podcasts is a “press stunt” in response to the MLC’s bundling lawsuit being dismissed

Music publishers in the US have started issuing takedown notices in relation to unlicensed music in Spotify podcasts. Spotify says the move is a “weak response” to a judge last week dismissing the music industry’s lawsuit over its use of a bundling loophole to pay less to American songwriters…

Chris Cooke • 05 Feb 2025

Amazon adds audiobooks access to its music service, though won’t rely on bundling discount in the US

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Amazon • 3 min read

Amazon adds audiobooks access to its music service, though won’t rely on bundling discount in the US

American music publishers say they are “optimistic” that Amazon adding audiobooks to its music subscription service won’t impact on the royalties received by songwriters. Unlike with Spotify, which used the addition of audiobooks to claim a discount on what it pays under the US compulsory licence…

Chris Cooke • 20 Nov 2024

Labels told Apple six times to kick Musi out of App Store, new legal filing reveals

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Musi • 2 min read

Labels told Apple six times to kick Musi out of App Store, new legal filing reveals

In September, Apple kicked music app Musi out of its App Store following a complaint from YouTube. Musi then sued Apple. In response, Apple says that it also received numerous complaints from the record industry, and that Musi knows what the issues are with its repurposing of YouTube content…

Chris Cooke • 19 Nov 2024

Songwriters welcome Copyright Office clarity on termination rights and streaming royalties

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US Copyright Office • 3 min read

Songwriters welcome Copyright Office clarity on termination rights and streaming royalties

The US Copyright Office has issued a final ruling regarding how collecting society MLC handles the payment of digital royalties when songwriters exercise the termination right and end old publishing deals. Previously publishers continued to get those royalties, but that shouldn’t have been the case…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jul 2024

Change MLC dispute procedure so we don’t pay to sue ourselves, say streaming services

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MLC • 5 min read

Change MLC dispute procedure so we don’t pay to sue ourselves, say streaming services

The streaming services have told the US Copyright Office that it should put in place new rules for how collecting society The MLC deals with disputes over the compulsory licence it administers. Under the current system, services can end up paying for lawsuits in which they are the defendants…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jun 2024

Setlist Podcast: “Spotify is not a business partner”, says NMPA boss

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Setlist • 3 min read

Setlist Podcast: “Spotify is not a business partner”, says NMPA boss

The NMPA ramps up its battle with Spotify, Sony sues Marriott…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 24 May 2024

NPMA's Judiciary Committee letter in full

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NMPA • 4 min read

NPMA's Judiciary Committee letter in full

The NMPA has provided CMU with a copy of the letter that it sent to members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees relating to legislative changes it says are needed to resolve the Spotify audiobooks bundle dispute…

CMU • 21 May 2024

Piracy • 1 min read

Audio Galaxy Settles Copyright Case

Audiogalaxy, the music-swapping website offering unreleased Eminem and Oasis tracks has been forced to settle with the major labels in…

CMU Editorial & CMU Daily • 21 Jun 2002