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# Music Publishing Weekly Roundup: Pandora Abandons IRFA, Beats Music to Launch in January
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/music-publishing-weekly-roundup-pandora-abandons-irfa-beats-music-to-launch-in-january/
- Published: 2013-12-06T08:57:00.000Z
- Updated: 2013-12-06T08:57:00.000Z
- Description: Pandora has officially abandoned the Internet Radio Fairness Act – a piece of legislation that would have effectively reduced the royalty rates it pays to songwriters and publishers, as well. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/12/music-publishing-weekly-roundup-pandora-abandons-i
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Songwriting & Music Publishing, ASCAP, Beats, Beats Electronics, Beats Music, Copyright Royalty Board, CRB, Dre, Internet radio, Internet Radio Fairness Act, Orson Welles, Pandora, Pandora Radio, Tim Westergren, #standwithsongwriters, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:43

[![image from diginomica.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2019b023d6dd0970c-150wi "image from diginomica.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2019b023d6dd0970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

Pandora has officially abandoned the [Internet Radio Fairness Act](http://www.musictimes.com/articles/2551/20131129/internet-radio-fairness-act-fails-pandora-take-brunt-decision.htm?ref=hypebot.com) – a piece of legislation that would have effectively reduced the royalty rates it pays to songwriters and publishers, as well as performers and labels. Pandora founder Tim Westergren attributed the [strategic move](http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/191451-musician-groups-celebrate-as-pandora-ditches-internet-radio?ref=hypebot.com) to "the low probability that Congress will address this issue in the near term", but strong resistance and bad press from initiatives like ASCAP's #StandWithSongwriters [petition](http://www.ascap.com/playback/2013/10/action/thousands-sign-ascaps-pandora-petition.aspx?ref=hypebot.com) and [open letter](http://www.spin.com/articles/rihanna-brian-wilson-everyone-suddenly-mad-at-pandora/?ref=hypebot.com) signed by prominent artists opposing the bill was certainly a factor.

**Pandora is most likely just redirecting its efforts** to lower royalty rates to other means. The most immediate and obvious target is to lobby the [Copyright Royalty Board (CRB)](http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/5800772/pandora-stops-internet-radio-fairness-act-legislation?ref=hypebot.com) – the three-judge panel that sets statutory rates for webcasters. With different members on the CRB than Pandora's last attempt, the company may like its odds better than passing a bill in Congress. Another possibility would be to seek [direct deals](http://blog.songtrust.com/music-publishing-news/music-publishing-news-weekly-roundup-october-11-2013/?ref=hypebot.com) with publishers and labels – a strategy that has already been adopted by Pandora's largest competitor, iTunes Radio. Pandora seems to be lukewarm to this idea at best, as Co-Founder Tim Westergren told investors in September, "Direct deals are not something that we’re allergic to."

**Beats Music**, the premium subscription music streaming service from Dr. Dre's Beats Electronics, is [set to launch](http://www.fistfulayen.com/blog/2013/12/beats-music-coming-in-january/?ref=hypebot.com) in January 2014\. Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers announced the launch and addressed the long-anticipated service's delayed launch with a quote from Orson Welles, "It took Beethoven four years to write that symphony, some things can't be rushed." As debate around royalty rates for fellow music streaming services [Spotify](http://www.spin.com/articles/spotify-details-royalty-payouts-cents/?ref=hypebot.com), [Pandora](http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2013/11/26/pandoraabandoning?ref=hypebot.com) and [iTunes Radio](http://blog.songtrust.com/music-publishing-news/music-publishing-news-weekly-roundup-october-11-2013/?ref=hypebot.com) continues, Beats Music's royalty rates remain unknown. While they will likely be similar to Spotify's, the service's purely subscription-based (rather than freemium) model could lead to more artist-friendly rates.

[![SongtrustLogo](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2019affa3a44f970c-150wi "SongtrustLogo")](https://www.songtrust.com/?utm%5Fsource=hypebot&utm%5Fmedium=textlink&utm%5Fcampaign=theweekin)

**Courtesy of [Songtrust](http://www.songtrust.com/?utm%5Fsource=hypebot&utm%5Fmedium=textlink&utm%5Fcampaign=theweekin) \- Global royalty collection for music professionals.* Related articles

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