If Katy Cat and Brit-Brit have anything to say about it, Pandora Radio‘s holiday stocking would be filled with nothing but coal!
The internet radio station complained to Congress about the royalties it pays for music, arguing they are too high when compared to rates given to broadcast radio. They’re lobbying for the passage of a Radio Fairness Act which presumably would do exactly what the name implies.
Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Cee-Lo Green, Maroon 5, Ne-Yo, and other artists who don’t want their pockets pinched by Congress is objecting to the company’s claims!
In an open letter to Pandora, the artists say the law’s proposed measures could “gut the royalties that thousands of musicians rely upon.”
Yikes!! We don’t want Cee-Lo and friends to go hungry!
It’s a tricky, sticky situation.
Obviously the world loves cheap shiz, but we understand why talented artists could be less inclined to write, record, and release music if it were unprofitable!!
Is Pandora getting ripped off? Do the artists have a valid point?
Ch-ch-check out the musicians’ letter in its entirety (below), and decide for yourselves!
We are big fans of Pandora. That’s why we helped give the company a discount on rates for the past decade.
Pandora is now enjoying phenomenal success as a Wall Street company. Skyrocketing growth in revenues and users.We celebrate that. At the same time, the music community is just now beginning to gain its footing in
this new digital world.
Pandora’s principal asset is the music.
Why is the company asking Congress once again to step in and gut the royalties that thousands of musicians
rely upon? That’s not fair and that’s not how partners work together.
Congress has many pressing issues to consider, but this is not one of them. Let’s work this out as partners
and continue to bring fans the great musical experience they rightly expect.
[Image via WENN.]