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# BMI Beats Pandora: Courts Says Pandora Must Raise Payments To Songwriters 43%
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/bmi-beats-pandora-courts-says-pandora-must-raise-payments-to-songwriters-43/
- Published: 2015-05-15T09:56:27.000Z
- Updated: 2015-05-15T09:56:27.000Z
- Description: The laws governing digital music are a mess and getting messier. Recently, the FCC approved Pandora's purchase of a radio station that would lower payments to rightsholders, and an ASCAP. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/05/bmi-beats-pandora-courts-says-pandora-must-raise-payme
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: DIY Advice & Tips, Music Business, Songwriting & Music Publishing, Streaming, American Society of Composers, Appeal, Authors and Publishers, Broadcast Music, Federal Communications Commission, Inc., Internet radio, New York, Pandora, Pandora Radio, radio, South Dakota, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:28

[![court](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b8d114850f970c-150wi "court")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b8d114850f970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com)The **laws governing digital music are a mess** and getting messier. Recently, the **FCC approved Pandora's purchase of a radio station** that would lower payments to rightsholders, and an **ASCAP attempt to retroactively raise their rates was defeated** in court. Yesterday, however, **BMI scored a major victory vs. Pandora** for songwriters.

[![image from angelstreetcapital.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201bb07f49b69970d-150wi "image from angelstreetcapital.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201bb07f49b69970d-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

Pandora lost an important legal battle with BMI yesterday. The ruling would raise Pandora's payments to to songwriters to 2.5% of revenue, up from the current 1.75%.

"Today’s decision is an enormous victory for the more than 650,000 songwriters, composers and publishers that BMI has the privilege to represent," BMI said in a statement. "This is an important step forward in valuing music in the digital age."

Pandora says it will appeal the decision. Last week Pandora won a decision in a similar case with ASCAP.

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