Universal, Sony, and Warner Just Agreed to Pay UK Songwriters. Will U.S. Majors Step Up?

For the first time in history, UK songwriters will receive a non-recoupable £75($101) per diem for participating in sessions and writing camps. The policy, backed by Universal, Sony, and Warner’s UK arms, is part of a reform initiative led by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

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It is being celebrated as a global milestone, but let’s be clear. This did not happen because the labels suddenly decided to value songwriters. It happened because the UK government applied pressure for years.​

 

In 2021, Parliament demanded a complete reset of streaming economics. After multiple hearings and official recommendations in 2024, the major labels finally gave in.

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These per diems are the result of political intervention, public scrutiny, and unrelenting advocacy from groups like the Ivors Academy.​

 

So here is the question. If Universal, Sony, and Warner can do this in the UK, why not in the United States? The same people run these companies globally. These are the same CEOs making decisions on both sides of the Atlantic.

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The United States is the largest music market globally. Yet American songwriters are still being asked to write for free, in some of the most expensive cities in the country.

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Since our founding, The 100 Percenters have been leading the fight for songwriter fees and points on the master when a song is purchased in the U.S. And behind closed doors, we have pitched our Session Fee Program to major music companies for years.

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Here is what our program proposes:

• Around $2,000 flat session fee, split equally among all writers and producers

• Payment is not tied to placement, completion, or release

• Fees and food budgets are not recouped from the artist

• Rates are based on cost-of-living data from Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta

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It’s simple. Music creators deserve to be paid for their labor.

 

Now that the UK has set the precedent, it’s time for the U.S. majors to follow.