Hundreds of musicians from more than 20 British orchestras have united in a call for urgent reform of copyright law, demanding a fair share of streaming royalties for all performers—not just headliners.
In an open letter spearheaded by the Musicians’ Union (MU), orchestral players urged the UK government to ensure that non-featured performers—such as session and orchestral musicians—receive equitable remuneration when their work is streamed online.
The letter, addressed to Minister for Creative Industries Chris Bryant, was signed by artists from leading ensembles including the Royal Opera House, Hallé, Chineke! Orchestra, and Sinfonia Cymru. The musicians warn that the current system is outdated, unsustainable, and contributing to a deepening financial crisis for classical performers.
“Streaming platforms have made music more accessible than ever before,” said MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl. “But while they pay around 70 per cent of revenues to rights holders, the majority of this money never reaches the musicians who perform on these recordings. Non-featured orchestral and session players receive nothing at all. This has to change.”
Under current UK copyright law, performers are entitled to equitable remuneration—standard rates for broadcast or public performance. However, no such protection exists for streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube Music, where royalties are only paid if individually negotiated. That leaves most non-featured musicians out of the earnings loop entirely.
MU steward Gabriel Dyker, who plays with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, said the shift to streaming has left many artists behind. “Music streaming has connected audiences and artists more than ever, yet earnings for musicians have not followed suit,” he said. “If royalties reflected listening habits, incomes should be rising—instead, they’re falling.”
The open letter arrives against a backdrop of declining arts funding, a shrinking live performance sector, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 shutdown. Musicians say the cost-of-living crisis has compounded these challenges, with the average professional now earning just £20,700 a year from music.
“It is our strongly held view that if musicians create an asset that someone can profit from, then surely we should be properly and fairly remunerated for that in every case,” the letter states.
The letter also references findings from the UK Parliament’s 2021 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee report, which recommended applying equitable remuneration to streamed recordings. The MU argues this change would not cost the Treasury or taxpayers anything but would create a more sustainable future for working musicians.
Some countries, including Spain, already apply equitable remuneration to music streaming. But in the UK, most record labels—major and indie alike—oppose extending this legal right, preferring to negotiate deals on a case-by-case basis.
Since 2021, government-led talks with industry stakeholders have continued through the Creator Remuneration Working Group, formed to explore voluntary reforms. With another meeting scheduled for later this month—where session musician pay is on the agenda—musicians hope their renewed call will push decision-makers to act.
“We are aware of the ongoing Creator Remuneration Working Group and hope this will provide a solution, either negotiated with the industry or via legislation,” the musicians wrote. “A change here won’t cost the government or the taxpayer a penny. It will, however, go some way to help turn a corner in keeping our incredible musicians financially more secure both now and in the future.”
Without action, they warn, a new generation of classical talent—and the audiences they inspire—could be lost.
With the UK’s orchestral community taking a stand, the question now is whether musicians in North America could—or should—expect similar momentum. As streaming dominates global music consumption, calls for equitable compensation may soon echo across borders. The issues faced by British performers mirror those in Canada and the U.S., where many session musicians also find themselves shut out of digital revenue. Will lawmakers and industry leaders in North America follow suit?