A Break For Music Sites: UK Royalty Body Slashes Streaming Rates

imageBritish royalty collector PRS For Music has bowed to websites’ pleas for lower fees, more than halving its on-demand streaming music rate from £0.0022 ($0.0035) to £0.00085 ($0.00135) per track, effective July 1 and lasting for three years.

Sites including We7 and YouTube told us in the last few months the rates were excessive, especially as their popularity takes off but their advertising models begin to look challenged; YouTube stopped streaming premium music to the UK in March over the issue. Now PRS has effectively heeded sites’ argument that the music business can make more money overall from the growing number of new online services if it drops its rates. Get the details at paidContent:UK