Amazon Music Proposes Lower Songwriter Royalty Rates

The company submitted a Phonorecords V proposal to the Copyright Royalty Board seeking cuts to headline and bundle rates.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Music — General

Isometric editorial illustration of a metallic weight balanced on copper blocks, symbolizing industrial royalty rate calculation adjustments. — Amazon Music has proposed reducing songwriter and publisher royalty rates for the 2028-2032 period in a formal filing to the Copyright Royalty Board. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Amazon Music has formally proposed a reduction in royalty rates paid to songwriters and publishers for the 2028-2032 period. The filing seeks to lower the headline royalty rate to 13.4% and decrease the royalty floor per active subscriber.

Why it matters

The proposal aims to resolve ongoing industry disputes over bundled subscription offerings and royalty frameworks. Music industry representatives have criticized the move, citing significant financial losses linked to similar bundling reclassifications by other services.

Amazon Music proposed a headline royalty rate of 13.4% and a bundled all-in royalty of 21.3%, marking a decrease from the current rates of 15.35% and 24.5% respectively. The proposal also seeks to reduce the royalty floor to 29 cents per subscriber.

The players

Amazon Music

This is a digital music streaming service owned by the technology giant Amazon, which maintains a massive global market share.

This is a United States federal agency that determines rates and terms for copyright statutory licenses.

National Music Publishers' Association

This is the primary trade association representing American music publishers and their songwriter partners.

The details

The proposal includes provisions to exclude public domain plays, fake-play accounts, and app store commissions from royalty calculations. Qobuz, Beatport, and IDAGIO have officially backed Amazon's submission, while the National Music Publishers' Association contends that previous bundling reclassifications have already cost songwriters over $1 billion.

The proposed Phonorecords V rates cover the period of 2028-2032.

Industry Dynamics

The Amazon proposal marks a departure from the compromises established in the Phonorecords IV settlement. This submission highlights the ongoing tension between streaming platforms and creators regarding the valuation of music within bundled subscription ecosystems.

While the proposal primarily concerns backend royalty math, changes to bundling frameworks could influence how subscription services are packaged and priced for consumers in the future. Listeners may see shifts in the availability or structure of music bundles as platforms navigate these new regulatory requests.

The takeaway

This filing signals a significant push by tech-based streaming services to renegotiate the economic terms of music licensing. The outcome of the Copyright Royalty Board decision will set the financial standard for songwriters and publishers for the next half-decade.