subscriber numbers, so analysts can do nothing
other than speculate as to the size of the
company’s music arm, but as the figures from
the MLC suggest, Apple’s contribution reveals
it’s performing well.
Speaking of the payments, the MLC said:
“The transfer of these monies represents the
culmination of a months-long effort on the
part of The MLC and these DSPs to develop
and implement the specifications for these
usage reports. With these historical unmatched
royalties and usage reports now in hand, The
MLC can begin the process of reviewing and
analyzing the data in order to find and pay
the proper copyright owners.” The Mechanical
Licensing Collective was incorporated
following years of criticism and complaints
about the way streaming service providers
were handling music streaming royalties,
with artists often left without revenue due
to delayed pay-out practices or lower-than-
expected play fees. It’s true that streaming
has revolutionized the way we listen to music,
and whilst it offers great value for consumers,
it’s also benefitted the music industry. In the
United Kingdom, for instance, streaming has
contributed more than £3.5 billion to the
country’s music industry, with consumers
prepared to pay to listen to music as opposed
to pirating content. Although new research
has found that pirating is making a return as
streaming sites disband and increase their
prices, the vast majority of consumers are
now comfortable paying for music from their
favourite artists.
Apple’s journey towards becoming the number
one music streaming brand in the United States