The RIAA and major record labels are celebrating a $90 million settlement with Pandora over the use of pre-1972 recordings. “Major settlements with SiriusXM and now Pandora means that an iconic generation of artists and the labels that supported them will be paid for the use of their creative works,” said RIAA Chairman and CEO Cary Sherman in a statement.
The RIAA had previously reached a $210 million settlement with SiriusXM. But class action lawsuits with The Turtles and other artists are still pending.
How much of the $90 million will be paid by the labels to artists?
Because the settlement is sealed, the answer is unclear. But informed sources tell Hypebot that the the 3 major labels are planning to use SoundExchange and the statutory formulas that it uses to pay artists and rightsholders. That could mean tens of millions in additional distribution to artists and more payments going forward.
