Songwriters Guild Of America backs MMA amendments that ensure royalty balance between creators and publishers

The Songwriters Guild Of America will now endorse the Music Modernization Act after changes made to the bill before the US Congress. Until now, the SGA was the only major music trade group opposing the new legislation.

New amendments to the act will include the doubling of songwriter and composer representation on the board of directors of the Mechanical Licensing Collective established by the Act, realigning the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee that will now have a 50/50 music creator and music publisher balance and ensure clarifications to the payments sections that will make it easier for music creators to get the full benefits of their negotiated publishing agreements.

SGA president and multi-platinum songwriter Rick Carnes has said that SGA’s roles following the bill’s enactment will include assisting “the songwriter and composer community in making sure that every music creator receives the full benefits intended under the Act”.

Other benefits of the legislation will include the establishment of a system that “substantially improves royalty payment” compliance by digital distributors, changes in royalty rate determination formulas set to benefit both creators and publishers and the promotion of greater fairness for US performing rights.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.