Session Musicians Clash with UK Record Executives Over Pay Rise
The UK Musicians’ Union has rejected a nearly 40 percent pay rise offer from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which represents Universal Music, Sony, and Warner Music. The BPI presented the Musicians Union with a new set of fees for recording sessions, including a pay increase of nearly 40 cents to rock and pop artists and a 15 percent increase for classical sessions. However, the union rejected the offer, stating that even with a 38 percent increase, the session rate has barely risen in 15 years and would remain below the recording rates of other equivalent musicians.
What is the Offer About?
When musicians are hired for recording sessions, they charge hourly rates. The Musicians’ Union (MU) and BPI agree to standard contract terms and minimum rates, which are currently at £43 per hour for a rock and pop session. However, some musicians can charge more hour. MU represents session musicians on all issues relating to their working lives, including pay, contracts, and conditions.
Why was the Offer Rejected?
The MU rejected the offer, as workers in all sectors push for above-inflation wage increases to offset the rising cost of living, and decided not to give details of the proposed rates to its members, most of whom are sole traders. This move caused questions about the union’s approach, with record labels bosses saying that session musicians were unlikely to be aware of the offer because their union bosses and bureaucratic committees refused to put the offer up for a vote.
What are the Record Label Insider’s Views on the Offer?
Recording label insiders believe that the size of BPI’s proposed pay increase reflects changes in the market due to streaming growth. Additionally, insiders believe that the increase was also designed to address the rise of AI-generated music, which some see as a significant threat to the livelihood of session musicians. However, a person familiar with the proposal said it was “strange” that the MU “did not want to give members the opportunity to vote for another increase, and one this big.”
What Does the Union Want Instead?
Instead of accepting the pay increase offer, the union wants royalties for all musicians on streaming revenue, saying “an increase in the session fee would not help the thousands of musicians. They get nothing at all.” Sophie Jones, BPI’s interim chief executive, said it was “disappointing” that the MU had not presented the group’s offer to members and that the union’s demands “on top of this generous settlement” are neither viable nor reasonable.
What are the General Secretary’s Views on the Decision?
The MU’s general secretary, Naomi Pohl, defended the decision, saying that the session rate has barely risen in 15 years and would remain below the recording rates of other equivalent musicians. “On this basis, the MU committee members do not feel the offer is good enough to put it up for a member vote. The BPI represents the major record labels that make record profits from music streaming, while session musicians currently receive no royalties, even if they play on greatest hits,” she added.
Additional Piece: The Future of Session Musicians in the Age of AI-generated Music
Session musicians have been a cornerstone of the music industry for many years, providing invaluable contributions to popular songs and albums. However, the rise of AI-generated music has threatened to overshadow much of their work, leading many musicians to worry about their future in the industry.
AI-generated music primarily uses computer algorithms to analyze and create music that mimics the style and melody of human-made songs. The technology uses large databases of music to learn how to create music that is similar to what humans make, and it is now being used more frequently in the music industry.
While AI-generated music is still in its infancy, experts predict that the technology will continue to grow and become more prevalent in the music industry. This growth could lead to more artists using AI-generated music to create music, meaning that there will be a lower demand for session musicians to play traditional instruments and work on recording sessions.
This potential decrease in demand could cause significant financial harm to session musicians, who rely heavily on recording sessions to earn a living. If AI-generated music continues to grow in popularity, session musicians may need to adapt to remain relevant in the music industry.
To do so, session musicians could consider focusing on niche genres or specialized instruments to remain in demand, such as African percussion or traditional Indian instruments. Additionally, they may need to consider learning new skills or exploring new technologies themselves, such as incorporating electronic beats or working with sound design software.
However, AI-generated music is not all doom and gloom for session musicians. Some experts predict that the technology will create jobs for musicians who can work on creating or producing AI algorithms, a skill that requires a deep knowledge of music theory. These roles would require a high level of specialization and creativity beyond what AI can currently offer, resulting in new career paths for musicians.
Conclusion: The Future of Session Musicians
Session musicians in the UK are currently at odds with the BPI over a nearly 40% pay increase, proposing instead that they receive royalties on streaming revenue. The future of session musicians is in question with the emergence of AI-generated music, which could pose a threat to their livelihoods. However, there is still hope for session musicians to remain relevant in the music industry by exploring new technologies or focusing on niche or specialized genres. In conclusion, session musicians must adapt and evolve to keep up with the ever-changing music industry.
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The UK musicians’ union has clashed with record executives after it rejected a nearly 40 percent pay rise for some of its members.
The BPI, which represents labels including Universal Music, Sony and Warner Music in the UK, has presented the Musicians Union with a new set of fees for recording sessions. The offer includes a pay increase of nearly 40 cents for rock and pop artists and a 15 percent increase for classical sessions.
But the union rejected the offer, which comes as workers in all sectors push for above-inflation wage increases to offset the rising cost of living, and decided not to give details of the proposed rates to its members, most of which are sole traders. prompting questions about his approach from record label bosses.
An industry executive said session musicians were unlikely to be aware of the offer because their union bosses and bureaucratic committees refused to put the offer up for a vote.
When musicians are hired for recording sessions, they charge hourly rates. MU and BPI agree to standard contract terms and minimum rates, which are currently £43 per hour for a rock and pop session. Musicians can charge more if they want.
Session musicians’ earnings have not risen since 2019 at a time when some artists, songwriters and record labels have thrived on streaming revenue growth, which has helped increase the lifespan of songs by established stars .
Last year, the UK’s competition watchdog found a “healthy” and growing level of profit linked to rising low-cost streaming revenue for UK record labels, saying operating margins of recorded music companies had increased.
Record label insiders said the size of BPI’s proposed pay increase reflected changes in the market due to streaming growth. They added that the increase was also designed to address the rise of AI-generated music, which some see as a significant threat to the livelihood of session musicians.
A person familiar with the proposal said it was “strange” that MU “did not want to give members the opportunity to vote for another increase, and one this big.”
But Naomi Pohl, MU’s general secretary, defended the decision, saying that “even with a 38 per cent increase, the session rate has barely risen in 15 years and would remain below the recording rates of other equivalent musicians.” .
“On this basis, the MU committee members do not feel the offer is good enough to put it up for a member vote. The BPI represents the major record labels that make record profits from music streaming, while session musicians currently receive no royalties, even if they play on greatest hits,” he added.
Instead, the union wants royalties for all musicians on streaming revenue, saying “an increase in the session fee would not help the thousands of musicians. . . They get nothing at all.”
Sophie Jones, BPI’s interim chief executive, said it was “disappointing” that MU had not presented the group’s offer to members and that the union’s demands “on top of this generous settlement”. . . They are neither viable nor reasonable”.
He added that paying royalties on broadcast revenue “would be like asking film companies to pay royalties retrospectively to the entire cast and extras committed to work on a project.”
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