Music Royalty Rates Stay The Same

All these music industry big-wigs wanting to charge more money for music got their collective asses handed to them by Steve Jobs. Yeah, they can call it an “agreement” but we all know it was Jobs threatening to shut down iTunes that influenced the decision of the royalty board.

The three-member board that sets statutory copyright licenses e-mailed the Digital Media Association (DiMA), the National Music Publishers' Association, Apple, and other download stores with its decision to keep the royalty rate 9.1 cents. That rate will also apply to CDs. The board also set the rate for ringtones at 24 cents. The decision is the first time the Board has established mechanical royalty rates for digital downloads.

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