Digital Streaming No Longer a Financial Void for Music Artists

A new album from your favorite music artist releases, do you race to the store to buy a physical copy or do you stream the music from the convenience of your own home? 76 percent of music listeners now stream their music. However, music artists often point out how they are underpaid or not paid at all by streaming services due to longstanding challenges and actually finding the right people who are owed the money. It did not matter how many times their music was streamed, until now.

In October of last year, President Trump signed the Music Modernization Act which simplifies how the streaming services pay the songwriters through building a licensing system. This new system will ensure that artists are paid for their music that is streamed. Essentially this law is closing a loophole in copyright law so it better fits the digital era. 

The making of this law not only united the streaming companies, labels, and songwriters but it united the House and the Senate. The Music Modernization Act passed without opposition which is typically unheard of lately in Congress. Music artists Dionne Warwick and Smokey Robinson expressed their support in this legislation by going to Congress. Robinson testified that this was a "livelihood thing" for musicians.

While most find this to be a good solution to a longstanding problem the constitutionality of it is being questioned by some. Personally, the only way I listen to music is through streaming applications, therefore, I believe music artists should receive royalties for their music that is streamed.