BMI Files Rate Court Action Against SiriusXM Over Music Licensing Fees
variety.comThania Garcia Performance rights organization BMI has filed a rate court action against SiriusXM in an attempt to provide its artists “fair and appropriate fees” for music licensing deals with the radio service.
In the petition, filed in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, BMI requests to determine a “reasonable rates” for SiriusXM’s public performance of songs in the BMI repertoire.
BMI is responsible for licensing over 22.4 million songs and musical compositions, according to the filing. BMI also cites that this action follows prolonged attempts at negotiations with SiriusXM, who is arguing for reduced payments.
BMI points out that Sirius has been in a “secure and successful position” after making changes to its model as a digital service. “Sirius has continued to pay songwriters — who create the music essential to SiriusXM’s business —at rates that are below those negotiated decades ago when satellite radio was an infant industry with an uncertain future,” the complaint argues. “It is also paying licensing fees at lower rates than other large music users against which SiriusXM competes for listeners.
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