Music Industry Raises the Rent: ASCAP and BMI Hike Radio Royalties. Meanwhile SoundExchange Hits a Wall with SiriusXM

The music industry, acting as a landlord for songwriters, has successfully raised the "rent" on terrestrial radio through new deals with ASCAP and BMI, finalized with the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) for nearly 10,000 stations. BMI’s agreement jacks up royalty rates to 2.14% of gross revenue for 2022-2023 and 2.20% from 2026-2029—a nearly 24% spike—demanding back payments for 2022-2024. 

ASCAP’s deal, though less detailed, also ups the rent with higher rates and broader digital licensing, easing station operations but pinching budgets, especially for smaller players. 

Both settlements, lasting through 2029, include digital revenue discounts and minimum fees, ensuring songwriters get a bigger cut while radio tenants face steeper costs. 

 Meanwhile, SoundExchange’s attempt to raise the rent on SiriusXM for digital royalties was blocked when a federal court dismissed its $150 million lawsuit, ruling it lacks legal authority to sue under the Copyright Act, leaving it stuck with audits and negotiations. 

These moves show the music industry squeezing more from radio broadcasters while hitting a legal dead end in the satellite realm, reshaping the cost of music for airplay tenants.

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