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Advocacy

$.0041

is the amount of money a songwriter makes per-stream on average in the US

¢7.1

cents per dollar is how much US mechanical royalty rates have increased since 1909 even though the cost of living has increased by 2,989.54%

75%

of a songwriter’s standard potential income streams in the US are regulated by the Federal Government

$.0041

is the amount of money a songwriter makes per-stream on average in the US

¢7.1

cents per dollar is how much US mechanical royalty rates have increased since 1909 even though the cost of living has increased by 2,989.54%

75%

of a songwriter’s standard potential income streams in the US are regulated by the Federal Government

Change will not be easy, and we need your help in advocating for the rights of songwriters.

Join us

We are facing some of the largest corporations in the world, with the deepest pockets, and powerful lobbying efforts. SONA is countering this by grassroots political action: assembling our allies, meeting with congressional leaders and executives from all parts of the music industry. And, oh yeah, we sued the Department of Justice!

Current Advocacy Articles

We compile all relevant advocacy issues here as a way to inform our members and mobilize!

Advocacy, May 3, 2023

The Writers Strike

The writers are on strike. I feel hopeful, vicariously excited, anxious, and totally jealous. I mean, I’m a writer too....

Advocacy, March 31, 2023

VARIETY: Songwriters Have Been Waiting Five Years for a Whopping $700-$800 Million in Royalties: Here’s What You Can Do to Help

If you love songwriters and hate the many ways songwriters are underpaid, paid slowly, or not paid at all, please read the following: There is over a quarter billion dollars of mechanical-royalty income related to songs that were streamed between 2018 and 2022 that has not been paid — and there is no guidance on when it will. Sign the petition: https://bit.ly/phonoiii

Advocacy, January 6, 2023

Billboard: Hundreds of Artists Push for Copyright Rule Change On Streaming Royalties: ‘We Stand Together’

Don Henley, Sheryl Crow, Sting and a slew of other musicians are throwing their support behind a new federal copyright...

Advocacy, August 4, 2022

‘Make Better Data Sexy’ Again: Streaming and Songwriter Groups Team Up for ‘Credits Due’ Initiative

The songwriting camp aimed to introduce "micro-lessons" about metadata while songwriters worked on new creative projects together.

Advocacy, July 27, 2022

RAP Act Introduced in Congress Would Bar the Use of Lyrics as Evidence in Court Proceedings

In what is positioned to address a growing issue for music artists, particularly in the hip-hop genre, a new bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Jamaal Bowman (NY-16).

Advocacy, July 18, 2022

24 Spots

Songwriting “camps” have been a growing trend in our culture for some time now. They’re often hosted by a producer or a publisher collecting material for a notable artist in the process of making an album.