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Tag Archives: indie labels

Indie Labels Not Pleased with Apple Streaming Agreement

June 19, 2015 IM

Though all three major US labels have signed with Apple new streaming service in advance of its June 30 launch, many indie labels are not pleased with the deal and have yet to sign on. They are most upset about Apple Music’s three-month free trial period in which rights holders will not be compensated for their streamed tunes. The trade group American Association of Independent Music has cautioned its indie label members to take their time in weighing various factors before signing the agreement.

One of the largest indie labels, Beggars Group wrote: “We are naturally very concerned, especially for artists releasing new albums in the next three months, that all streaming on the new service will be unremunerated until the end of September. Whilst we understand the logic of their proposal and their aim to introduce a subscription-only service, we struggle to see why rights owners and artists should bear this aspect of Apple’s customer acquisition costs.”