SoundExchange Recording Royalty Rates to Rise

Sound recording royalty rates paid to SoundExchange will increase next year, said the Copyright Royalty Board in Monday's Federal Register. “Last year, the Board determined that the CPI had not increased enough to merit an increase in the royalties,” blogged Wilkinson Barker broadcast attorney David Oxenford Tuesday of the consumer price index. “This year, based on the calculations set out in the Federal Register, there will in fact be an increase.” Nonsubscription webcasters will pay a per-performance royalty of .0018 cent instead of the .0017 cent from 2017. Subscription webcasters will pay .0023, up from .0022. The increase includes simulcasts of broadcasters' over the air programming, Oxenford said. These rates apply through 2020, and a new proceeding to create rates for 2021-25 will start in 2019, he said.