Next Big Sound (a/o May 16th):
Re: My Song Was Played 3.1 Million Times on Pandora. My Check Was $39...
Ellen Shipley had me until "this is a human rights issue." I'm all for leveling the playing field to get songwriters their fair rate of compensation, but saying that it's a 'human right' to be fairly compensated for a career of your choosing is just absurd. Yes, there may be corporations or other groups with their hands in your pocket when they shouldn't be. Yes, the changing landscape of digital music makes us constantly re-address the thousands of individuals who bring music to life and joy to millions. However, comparing this to some of the most difficult plights of human history is a bit of a stretch...
In all sincerity, my heart breaks to hear that songwriters can't get fair shake. She is correct that a huge majority of western popular music is shaped by professional songwriters. We must seriously address that there is, at the moment, NO viable business model to keep all parties fairly compensated for streaming services. The pie is simply too small, and too many people want a slice. It also breaks my heart that an innovative company like Pandora simply can't survive unless it cuts royalties. We seem to sometimes forget the first line of the copyright clause - "To promote the Progress of Science and Useful Arts..."
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