Songwriters Jessi Alexander, Amy Allen, Jessie Jo Dillon, and RAYE are opting out of Spotify’s Songwriter of the Year Grammy party on January 28, primarily due to Spotify’s controversial royalty practices. The event, which was intended to celebrate nominees for a prestigious writing award introduced by the Recording Academy in 2023, has sparked backlash within the songwriting community.
Allen and Dillon have specifically cited Spotify’s treatment of songwriters as their reason for not attending. Spotify’s decision in April to reduce royalty rates for songwriters, after adding audiobooks to its premium service tiers and reclassifying them as “bundles,” is the main point of contention. This change has led to a drastic decrease in royalties, projected at $150 million over a year, affecting songwriters and publishers significantly.
RAYE, while never officially committed to attending, has been a vocal advocate for songwriter rights, contributing to the industry-wide discussion. Meanwhile, Alexander will also be absent, though her reason was not explicitly stated. Expressing frustration on social media, other songwriters like Ross Golan and Laura Veltz urged their peers to boycott the event, criticizing Spotify for its “bundling” scheme.
As Spotify remains the leading streaming platform in the U.S., its reclassification to bundled services has substantial ramifications compared to its competitors, like Apple Music and Amazon Music. Despite reassurances that payments to publishers would increase, the backlash has been intense, with entities like the National Music Publishers Association and the Mechanical Licensing Collective mounting legal challenges and expressing fierce opposition to Spotify’s strategies.
As tensions escalate, many in the industry view Spotify’s attempt to honor songwriters amid these disputes as tone-deaf, characterized by prominent figures as audacious and hypocritical. The fallout underscores a broader conflict over fair compensation in the music streaming era.
Original Story https://www.billboard.com/pro/grammy-2025-songwriter-nominees-wont-attend-spotify-songwriter-party/
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