Committee publication · Correspondence · 2 September 2025
Letter from Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, regarding new label-led measures to boost earnings for UK artists in the music industry, 22 July 2025
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Summary
Secretary of State Lisa Nandy reports to the CMS Committee on new label-led measures to boost UK artist earnings in music streaming, developed by the BPI with support from AIM and adopted by Universal, Sony, and Warner's UK divisions. The package includes principles supporting legacy artists, songwriters, and session musicians, with estimated investment of tens of millions of pounds by 2030, responding to the Committee's 2021 streaming economics inquiry.
Key findings
- BPI-led package adopted by Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group UK divisions includes principles disregarding certain unrecouped advances and providing marketing support for back-catalogue artists
- Commitments include clearer contract renegotiation routes, financial support for songwriters at label-organised sessions, and minimum fee increases for session musicians agreed with Musicians' Union in December 2024
- Government estimates tens of millions of pounds in new creator investment by 2030 and commits to assessing implementation over 12 months with further intervention if needed
- Measures are described as unique to the UK and represent government-industry collaboration, complementing the £10 million-per-year Music Growth Package from the Creative Industries Sector Plan
Tone
SupportiveTopics
Key actors
Lisa Nandy, Caroline Dinenage, British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Association of Independent Music (AIM), Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Musicians' Union (MU)
Notable line
“… these measures are unique to the UK and show the power of constructive industry-government collaboration in delivering real change.”
Key Quotes
“This Government wholeheartedly shares the Committee's view that creators must be fairly rewarded for their work and that the music streaming market must evolve to better support sustainable careers in music.”
“These measures include a set of Principles designed to support legacy artists, songwriters, and session musicians.”
“Together, these actions are estimated by the labels to deliver tens of millions of pounds in new investment to support creators by”
“Should further intervention be necessary we will not hesitate to act to ensure the package delivers on its core objective: to improve incomes and working conditions for UK music creators.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗