Musicians’ union United Musicians and Allied Workers, in conjunction with Congressmembers Rashida Tlaib and Jamaal Bowman, have introduced the Living Wage for Musicians Act, that would create a new streaming royalty for musicians. Here’s more about it from UMAW:
Music workers create the enormous wealth that streaming platforms accumulate for their CEOs and investors year after year. But artists continue to be underpaid, misled, and otherwise exploited by streaming platforms. While artists experience declining wages and increasingly precarious employment, the music industry as a whole has reaped unprecedented profits, and CEOs of tech companies have become billionaires.
The Living Wage for Musicians Act is built to pay artists a minimum penny per stream, an amount calculated specifically to provide a working class artist a living wage from streaming.
You can learn more here, and sign on to support the bill now.
UMAW is also presenting shows in Los Angeles (March 27 at Lodge Room with Julia Holter, Blake Mills, Hand Habits, and Joel Jerome), Detroit (March 30 with Shigeto and Tammy Lakkis DJ sets, and a guest appearance from Rashida Tlaib), NYC (March 31 at Elsewhere with Yo La Tengo, Slaughter Beach Dog, Heems, The Ophelias, and Christelle Bofale), Ypsilanti (Arpil 3 at Ziggy’s with Dr. Pete Larson with Fred Thomas, Jib Kidder, and Michael C. Sharp), and Washington DC (April 18 at Black Cat with Yasmin Williams, @, and Dior Ashley Brown) to support the bill. Tickets for NYC, LA, and DC are on sale now.
UMAW are also throwing an unofficial showcase in Austin during SXSW, which will feature Squirrel Flower, proper., alexalone, Blvck Hippie, Medusa, Mei Semones and Nodega, on March 13 at Cheer Up Charlies, from 7 PM-1 AM. Free RSVP is open now.
