“This government is committed to supporting a thriving music sector”

The UK government has followed up on its promise to review how musicians are paid by streaming platforms, unveiling a series of measures “designed to deliver real benefits for UK creators”.

In July last year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport convened the Creator Remuneration Working Group (CRWG) to address long-standing concerns about artists’ streaming payouts. The session brought together key stakeholders from across the music industry, including record labels, streaming platforms, trade bodies, artist representatives, music publishers and collecting societies.

Now, a year on, a new set of reforms has been introduced – centred around a set of guiding Principles from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and fresh commitments from major labels. Together, these aim to support fair remuneration for creators and help strengthen the growth of the overall UK music sector.

“As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, this government is committed to supporting a thriving music sector where creators can build sustainable careers and are fairly rewarded for their work,” the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport says in a statement.

The newly adopted Principles, endorsed by both the BPI and the Association of Independent Music (AIM), will offer tailored support to legacy artists, songwriters, and session musicians. UK arms of the three major labels – Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group – have also pledged to implement these Principles through bespoke programmes.

Among the key changes is a focus on “legacy artists”, including programmes to “disregard unrecouped advances”, bespoke marketing tools to help increase streaming engagement, and “clarity about how legacy artists can seek and obtain contract renegotiation that appropriately remunerates them”.

Support for songwriters and composers is also a major part of the initiative. Both Warner UK and Universal UK have committed to paying £75 per day (per diems), on top of expenses, to songwriters who attend label-organised sessions, with the sum offered as a non-recoupable cost to their advance.

Meanwhile, Sony UK will fund a new Songwriter Support Programme, in partnership with the Ivors Academy, to provide financial support and assistance to songwriters.

For session musicians, per an agreement reached in late 2024, the BPI and the Musicians’ Union will increase session fees. The government has also committed to continue looking at the issue of streaming remuneration for session musicians, with a follow-up meeting with industry stakeholders scheduled for September 2025.