SiriusXM Wants Uniform Royalty Payments From Radio

If satellite radio is required to pay pre-1972 royalties to music artists, terrestrial radio should have to do the same, SiriusXM CEO Jim Beyer wrote in a Billboard commentary Thursday. Sirius opposes the Compensating Legacy Artists for Their Songs, Service and Important Contributions to Society (Classics) Act (S-2393) portion of the Music Modernization Act (MMA), House-passed legislation being considered by the Senate (see 1808170046). That part of the bill would require Sirius to pay for use of pre-1972 sound recordings. “While we do not believe CLASSICS is good public policy, SiriusXM has nonetheless been working with Congress to address our specific concerns with certain MMA language,” Beyer wrote. Sirius has paid $250 million to pre-1972 artists based on existing agreements, he said. An NAB spokesman emailed: “It's unfortunate that SiriusXM is trying to torpedo the Music Modernization Act at the 11th hour. NAB strongly supports this legislation and hopes that SiriusXM is unsuccessful in its effort to derail this important bill."