ASCAP is standing up for songwriter’s rights. They have officially signed a petition against Pandora. They are accusing Pandora of taking advantage of songwriters by not paying them what they are worth for the use of their music.THE PETITION READS:Dear Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews,As songwriters and composers, we value the opportunities Pandora and other music streaming companies create for our music to reach new audiences. In return, we want Pandora to value our contribution to your business. Right now, a song that is streamed on Pandora 1,000 times earns the songwriter only 8 cents on average. And yet, Pandora is going to great lengths – even taking songwriters to court – to pay us even less. Music drives Pandora’s business. If the company’s revenues keep getting larger, why should the rate it pays songwriters keep getting smaller?We’re asking you, as Pandora’s new CEO, to live up to the claim that, “We believe in the value of music and have a profound respect for those who create it.” Songwriters are not the enemy. Instead of fighting to pay music creators less than a fair market rate, join us in an effort to construct fair music licenses that allow songwriters and composers to thrive alongside the businesses that revolve around our music.Sincerely,Songwriters and Composers
