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July 22, 2015 | Music Notes Blog

Music Royalties: A Primer For Music Fans

As fans increasingly turn to online streaming as the primary way to enjoy music, it’s more and more important for artists and the labels to receive fair royalties from streaming music sites.

The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) heard closing arguments in Washington, D.C. this week in the case to determine royalty rates paid to artists and labels by Internet radio streaming sites. Pandora — along with the National Association of Broadcasters — has sought to significantly cut those rates, while music advocates continue to press for fair market rates. Under the law, royalties are split evenly between the artist and the record label and are collected and distributed by SoundExchange.

The CRB is expected to make a decision on the case later this year. The royalty rates the judges set will apply through 2020. Learn more about how the proposed royalty rate cuts would affect the music community:

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