Independent musicians seek more leverage over streaming deals

Independent musicians could gain some of the leverage that has long sat with the biggest online platforms. In the federal House, Representative Deborah Ross of North Carolina introduced the Protect Working Musicians Act of 2026, a bill that would let independent music creator owners negotiate together over the terms on which their music is distributed.

The point is not abstract. Music is a cultural product, but it is also a business that supports nearly 2 million American jobs and almost $150 billion in annual economic activity, which means the terms of a licensing deal can ripple far beyond one artist’s paycheck.

Where the leverage shifts

The bill’s findings describe an online market that has become distorted and imbalanced as music distribution moved onto the internet. It says the largest dominant online music distribution platforms use their market power to force licensing agreements that do not reflect market value, then profit from unlicensed uploads if creators will not accept the terms.

To answer that, the measure would create a safe harbor so certain collective negotiations would not trigger antitrust liability, as long as they stay within the limits the bill sets. That is the heart of the idea: give smaller rights holders room to bargain together instead of forcing each one to face a platform alone.

Who gets to use it

The bill does not rewrite the whole music business. It focuses on independent owners of copyrights, including some musicians, songwriters, producers and related small entities that fit its definitions.

Ross is joined by Representatives Steve Cohen, Lloyd Doggett and Dan Goldman as cosponsors. Together, they are trying to draw a line around a part of the market that already shapes what listeners hear, and what creators get paid for it.