Imagine a world without songs. It's a bleak thought, isn't it? Songs have the power to inspire, heal, and bring people together. They reflect our deepest emotions and connect us on a universal level. But the future of the songwriting profession is at risk, and we need your help to protect it.

Support the #paysongwriters campaign and donate today. Your contributions will be allocated to vital initiatives to help educate the public on how streaming and corporate greed have destroyed songwriters' income.

Here are the facts

• In 2022, the global recorded music industry earned $26.2 billion in revenue, and 65% of that came from streaming. Songwriters contributed to that success.
• It's hard for many songwriters to make a livable wage from the songs they write.
• Songwriters make 15.1% of total streaming revenue in the U.S., while record labels make 52% - 57%, and DSPs(Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) make 27.9% - 32.9%.
• The current streaming model operates on a pro-rata system, meaning that the most played songs receive the highest payouts. Consequently, this structure heavily favors popular singles, resulting in a financial disadvantage for middle-class songwriters.
• Sometimes, artists or their representatives receive publishing rights for songs they didn't contribute to, which reduces the royalties received by actual songwriters. While this doesn't apply to everyone, it does occur frequently.
• There have been times when songwriters are strongly encouraged not to attempt to negotiate with artists and labels for a songwriter fee or session fee. 
•  Songwriters, classified as independent contractors, are denied the majority of the rights of someone self-employed, including receiving payment for their services and having a service agreement.

We, the songwriters, call for justice and an end to our exploitation! We assert our right to a contract and compensation for our services as independent contractors from record companies and artists. And will no longer remain silent. Enough is enough! Things must change!

Our demands are as follows:

1. Session Fee: We demand a non-recoupable payment for the time spent working with an artist, whether the song is ultimately placed or not.
2. Songwriter Agreement: We demand a comprehensive and detailed agreement between the songwriter and the artist/record label that specifies job details, including compensation and ownership rights.
3. Songwriter Fee & Master Points: We demand fair compensation for The Right of First Release, one of our fundamental rights as a copyright holder.
4. Participation in SoundExchange Royalties: We demand the right to participate in SoundExchange royalties.

Please sign and share this petition if you support songwriters making a livable wage.