Detroit Backs Federal Push for Higher Streaming Royalties, Aiming to Boost Musicians' Pay.
The Detroit City Council has unanimously endorsed a federal bill aimed at increasing musicians' pay on streaming platforms. The Living Wage for Musicians Act, introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), would overhaul the current system, ensuring artists receive fair compensation for their digital streams.
Currently, music streaming accounts for 84% of all recorded music revenue in the US, but artists often earn just a fraction of a cent per play - sometimes as little as $0.003. To break even, musicians need over 800,000 monthly streams to earn the equivalent of a full-time job with an hourly wage of $15.
Detroit's resolution highlights the city's significant influence on music and underscores the importance of supporting local artists. The legislation would create a new royalty stream paid directly to artists, separate from the industry's existing pro-rata system that often favors bigger acts and major labels.
Under the proposal, a small surcharge would be added to streaming subscriptions, capped between $4 and $10, while platforms would contribute a share of their advertising revenue. The funds would go into a nonprofit Artist Compensation Royalty Fund, which would distribute payments directly to recording musicians.
Advocates argue that this change would enable more artists to record, tour, and engage with fans, while helping musicians build sustainable careers in cities like Detroit. Rep. Tlaib believes the bill is essential for ensuring that music creators can thrive, not just survive.
The proposal has garnered support from various artists, including Shigeto, a Detroit producer and WDET host. With Detroit's creative workforce playing a significant role in shaping music, the city council's endorsement of this legislation demonstrates its commitment to supporting local talent and promoting fairness in the music industry.
The Detroit City Council has unanimously endorsed a federal bill aimed at increasing musicians' pay on streaming platforms. The Living Wage for Musicians Act, introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), would overhaul the current system, ensuring artists receive fair compensation for their digital streams.
Currently, music streaming accounts for 84% of all recorded music revenue in the US, but artists often earn just a fraction of a cent per play - sometimes as little as $0.003. To break even, musicians need over 800,000 monthly streams to earn the equivalent of a full-time job with an hourly wage of $15.
Detroit's resolution highlights the city's significant influence on music and underscores the importance of supporting local artists. The legislation would create a new royalty stream paid directly to artists, separate from the industry's existing pro-rata system that often favors bigger acts and major labels.
Under the proposal, a small surcharge would be added to streaming subscriptions, capped between $4 and $10, while platforms would contribute a share of their advertising revenue. The funds would go into a nonprofit Artist Compensation Royalty Fund, which would distribute payments directly to recording musicians.
Advocates argue that this change would enable more artists to record, tour, and engage with fans, while helping musicians build sustainable careers in cities like Detroit. Rep. Tlaib believes the bill is essential for ensuring that music creators can thrive, not just survive.
The proposal has garnered support from various artists, including Shigeto, a Detroit producer and WDET host. With Detroit's creative workforce playing a significant role in shaping music, the city council's endorsement of this legislation demonstrates its commitment to supporting local talent and promoting fairness in the music industry.
I'm so stoked that the Detroit City Council is backing this bill! 
It's about time we start valuing our musicians' contributions more fairly 
I mean, can you imagine if every streamer had to work over 800k streams just to make ends meet? 
That's like running a marathon on a treadmill that just won't stop 
. This legislation is all about creating a level playing field where artists can focus on making music, not just scraping by 
Let's keep supporting our local talent and promote sustainability in the music industry 
). It's also about giving musicians the freedom to create, perform, and connect with their fans without worrying about making ends meet. I love that the proposal creates a separate royalty stream for artists, so they can get paid directly for their work. That's just pure genius 
.
! The city's influence on music is undeniable, and this bill shows that the council really gets it. Let's keep hoping that more cities and industries start valuing their artists' contributions 
!
it's literally game changing for my morning coffee routine anyway back to the news... i feel like increasing streaming royalties is super necessary especially with how much we consume music online these days but you know what's even more interesting to me? the rise of vinyl records 
I think it's awesome that Detroit is backing this bill 
. It's time for streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music to step up their game 
and Shigeto is backing it too 
.
, and i think adding that small surcharge to streaming subs wont hurt anyone... its about time we start valuing artistry over profit margins 
. I'm not saying it can't be done, but we need to think this through and consider the impact on everyone involved 
i mean, what kinda career can you build on that kinda money 
then so be it, let's support the artists who create all that dope music 
it's like they're not even humans, just robots on repeat 
. Detroit backing this bill is a good start, but I'm not holding my breath 
. We'll see how long it takes for the money to trickle down and actually make a difference 
.
Detroit is already doing its part by supporting local artists and now the rest of the country should follow suit 
. The fact that they're proposing a new royalty system that actually puts money in the pockets of musicians instead of just the big companies is genius 
. I'm all for it!