Imagine being in the shoes of your favorite artist/singer/songwriter when you check your bank account and realize that a check less than $100.00 has been deposited from the royalties paid to you by Pandora for streaming your music. Imagine your whole livelihood depending on the money you receive from your music being bought and played worldwide but thanks to music outlets such as Pandora, Sirius XM, and Spotify as well as cable, satellite and terrestrial radio stations, all of that money you should be earning is almost nonexistent.

Everyday these apps have to pay a fee to singers/songwriters/artists, thanks to their low royalty rates it's effecting theirlivelihood.ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) and the other publishing royalty organization BMI, controls most of theavailable recordedmusic. They grant blanket licenses to anyone who wants them, the blanket license allows the user to use any songs in the ASCAP inventory as much as they like. The person who holds the license has to pay a feeannually.Everyday these apps have to pay a fee to singers/songwriters/artists, thanks to their low royalty rates it's effecting theirlivelihood. Pandora, who pays a higher royalty rate than any other music outlet has tried and failed to get their rates lowered to match.

In order for our favorite bands, musicians, and songwriters to earn the money they deserve for the hard work they put in something has to be done. Let's come together and show ASCAP and BMI that it's time to rethink and rework the royalty rate guidelines put in place. Let's not let Pandora lower their rates when there is clearly a problem with how low they already are. Instead this petition is to show them (ASCAP, BMI) that we want a higher royalty rate for everyone including terrestrial radio, satellite, cable, etc.