Earlier this year, The Union of Musicians and Allied Workers was formed “to fight for a more just music industry, and to join with other workers in the struggle for a better society.”
Now, the union is launching a new campaign called Justice at Spotify to push for increased royalty payments and more transparency from Spotify. Supporters of the initiative include Algiers, Diet Cig, DIIV, Downtown Boys, Ezra Furman, Flasher, Frankie Cosmos, Illuminati Hotties, Jay Som, Speedy Ortiz, Spencer Tweedy, Thurston Moore, Zola Jesus and many more.
The Justice at Spotify campaign states:
Spotify is the most dominant platform on the music streaming market. The company behind the streaming platform continues to accrue value, yet music workers everywhere see little more than pennies in compensation for the work they make.
With the entire live music ecosystem in jeopardy due to the coronavirus pandemic, music workers are more reliant on streaming income than ever. We are calling on Spotify to deliver increased royalty payments, transparency in their practices, and to stop fighting artists.
What We Are Asking For:
Pay us at least one cent per stream
Adopt a user-centric payment model
Make all closed-door contracts public
Reveal existing payola, then end it altogether
Credit all labor in recordings
End legal battles intended to further impoverish artists
Learn more about the campaign here.
