Indies unite to give artists a better deal

More than 700 independent labels have given their backing to an initiative calling for fairer deals for their artists.

Among the labels to sign the Fair Digital Deals Declaration are Epitaph, Beggars Group, Rough Trade and Sub Pop, who want to fix inequities in music licensing deals that include payouts covering unshared compensation and minimum revenue guarantees.

According to the Worldwide Independent Network, the labels have decided to unite over financial issues because “a pattern has emerged” in which online music services favour major companies over independents.

Launching the initiative, Martin Mills, group chairman of the Beggars Group, who look after bands including Queens of the Stone Age, says: Why wouldn’t we treat artists fairly? It seems so obvious that we shouldn’t have to say it, but let’s say it loud and proud.”

Rich Bengloff, president of the American Association of Independent Music, told Rolling Stone: “This is a call for artists receiving the same fair treatment that we as independent music labels feel we should be receiving as well.”

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.