Industry Leaders address TikTok and the Protect Working Musicians Act
Top music industry organizations speak out on the impact of TikTok’s battle with Merlin and its implications for independent artists. Learn how the Protect Working Musicians Act could shape the future of musician advocacy and rights.
Industry Leaders address TikTok and the Protect Working Musicians Act
by Stacy Simons Santos of Celebrity Access
The statement was released from the following organizations: American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Federation of Musicians (AFM), Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), Music Artists Coalition (MAC), Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Songwriters of North America (SONA):
TikTok’s unwillingness to negotiate a licensing deal with Merlin is just the latest example of the platform doing whatever it can to avoid compensating artists fairly.
For over 15 years, Merlin has endeavored to provide access to digital platforms for small labels and artists by presenting a way for tech behemoths to deal with one entity that can license works from many labels.
TikTok’s unprecedented action puts independent artists and songwriters in the untenable position of having no voice whatsoever in the licensing process.
Now, more than ever, we need Congress to enact the Protect Working Musicians Act and give musicians, songwriters, independent labels, and publishers the ability to negotiate collectively in the marketplace, which current law prohibits.
Without this legislative change to level the playing field, artists and songwriters will continue to be at the mercy of dominant and coercive services like TikTok who refuse to negotiate fairly with the very people creating the content on which their entire business is built.
