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Phono V streaming rates filed with US Copyright Board
Streaming services file new royalty rates with US Copyright Board after 30% publishing revenue growth since 2022.
In brief
Streaming services file new royalty rates with US Copyright Board after 30% publishing revenue growth since 2022. Music streaming services submitted rate proposals to the US Copyright Royalty Board for 2028-2032 after US music publishing revenues grew 30% from $5.6 billion in 2022 to $7.3 billion in 2025. Originally…
Phono V rate proposals filed
Parties to Phonorecords V submitted written testimony and rate proposals to the US Copyright Royalty Board on Monday, October 5.
2028-2032 streaming rates set
The filings establish mechanical royalty rates for on-demand streaming services paying songwriters and publishers in the US between 2028 and 2032.
DIMA points to 30% revenue growth
The Digital Media Association reported US music publishing revenues grew more than 30% from USD $5.6 billion in 2022 to $7.3 billion in 2025.
DIMA members include major services
DIMA’s members include Amazon, Apple Music, Feed.fm, Pandora, Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, and YouTube.
Participants in the proceeding
The CRB’s docket lists Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google, Pandora as participants, while the NMPA and NSAI act as Copyright Owners with the three major record companies and A2IM.
SGA and others back flat rate
The Songwriters Guild of America, Word Collections, Eight Mile Music Companies, and George Johnson support a flat mechanical rate of $0.0030 per stream in 2028.
DIMA CEO comments on filing
DIMA President and CEO Graham Davies said the parties submitted testimony and rate proposals to the CRB for the 2028-2032 streaming rates.
Previous Phonorecords settlements
The last Phonorecords IV settlement set a headline rate rising to 15.35% of US revenue by 2027, with higher minimums and Total Content Costs.
Spotify’s bundling impact
Spotify reclassified Premium tiers as bundles including 15 hours of audiobook listening, costing publishers over $480 million since 2024.
MLC lawsuit against Spotify
The Mechanical Licensing Collective sued Spotify over reclassification in May 2024, with Judge Torres dismissing the case in January 2025 but reopening it in September 2025.
2026 filings open discovery
The October 5 filings opened discovery, with a hearing scheduled for March 22, 2027, and the CRB’s initial determination due by December 17, 2027.
Physical format rates set
For 2026, physical and download rates stand at 13.1 cents per song or 2.52 cents per minute, with ringtone rates fixed at 24 cents.
The bottom line
Music streaming services submitted rate proposals to the US Copyright Royalty Board for 2028-2032 after US music publishing revenues grew 30% from $5.6 billion in 2022 to $7.3 billion in 2025.
