Songwriters and publishers are due nearly $400 million in additional payouts following the Copyright Royalty Board’s Phonorecord III final determination in August, according to information the Mechanical Licensing Collective (the MLC) released on Friday (Feb. 23).

During the Phono III blanket license period (2021-2022), the MLC reports that digital service providers like Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube and Pandora underpaid rightsholders by $419.2 million — $281 million from mechanical royalties and $137.8 million from performance royalties. Those underpayments were due to the fact that final rates were higher than the interim rates during the more than four-year royalty dispute between publishers and streamers.

However, the DSPs actually overpaid publishers for mechanical royalties during the Phono III historical unmatched period (2018-2020) to the tune of $28.8 million. That would cut down the total bonus owed to songwriters and publishers to roughly $390.3 million.

The DSPs were given until Feb. 9 to review and adjust their past payments following the CRB’s final determination, though several did not submit the required adjustment reports by the deadline, according to the MLC, which expects adjustments to increase by another $10 to $15 million once those additional reports come in.

The MLC notes that the amounts are estimates only and subject to change pending its official calculations.

“We are extremely pleased that songwriters and music publishers finally will receive the over $400 million they are owed in mechanical and performance royalties from the 2021-2022 period,” said NMPA president/CEO David Israelite in a statement. “Our appellate win upholding the rate increase we achieved in 2018 will finally net music creators and copyright owners the windfall they should have received years ago. The fact that the majority of this adjustment will be distributed by the MLC in a completely transparent and expedient way is another massive benefit of the Music Modernization Act (MMA) and while we would have preferred it be paid sooner, this is a welcome and critical lift now.”

A full breakdown of the adjustments from the individual DSPs is available on the MLC website.

The American Federation of Musicians has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as of Friday.

The agreement, which concerns basic theatrical motion picture and basic television motion picture contracts, comes with “historic breakthroughs” on streaming residuals and protections against AI, according to AFM. The agreement is unanimously recommended by the bargaining committee. 

While AFM leadership said they could not comment on the exact details in the contract, they confirmed that the tentative deal language includes streaming residuals for musicians for the first time.

“This agreement represents a major win for musicians who have long been under-compensated for their work in the digital age,” said AFM International President and Chief Negotiator Tino Gagliardi. “We have secured historic breakthroughs in streaming residuals, established critical guardrails against the misuse of AI, gained meaningful wage increases and other important gains. This agreement represents a watershed moment for the artists who create the soundtracks for countless film and TV productions.”  

The tentative agreement must be approved by AFM International Executive Board and then will next be submitted for ratification by roughly 2,000 members working under the contracts.

The deal came after a first round of negotiations from Jan. 22 through Jan. 31 and then a second round that began Feb. 21 and lasted until the early hours of Feb. 23. The negotiations took place at the Sherman Oaks offices of the AMPTP.

AFM held a rally outside the offices on the first day of negotiations, with members from several other entertainment unions attending to show their support. The tentative agreement comes just ahead of the March 4 start date for negotiations between the AMPTP and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the Hollywood Teamsters.

“I want to congratulate our AFM Fair Share for Musicians bargaining unit members for their unwavering commitment to fighting for a contract that fairly compensates them for their invaluable contributions to film and TV and protects them in the ever-changing film and television industry,” Gagliardi concluded. “We were not alone in this negotiation, and we were proud to have the full backing of fellow unions: SAG-AFTRA, Writers Guild of America, IATSE, and the Teamsters. It was yet another powerful reminder that when we have solidarity in the labor movement, we can achieve great things. We also would like to thank Carol Lombardini, president of the AMPTP, as well as the AMPTP and its member companies, for helping bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

Boy bands supporting boy bands!

ENHYPEN shared a cover on Friday (Feb. 23) of One Direction’s 2012 breakout hit, “What Makes You Beautiful.” The band members trade verses with their signature sweet vocals before coming together to sing the anthemic hook.

In August, 1D member Liam Payne celebrated a new milestone for the song. “Wow I just got told we’re about to make a billion streams on wmyb,” the singer wrote alongside a throwback photo of himself posing with former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson. “Never in the making of this song so early in our career did I think I would be looking at those numbers what an achievement boys!”

He continued, “I’m so lucky not only to share this with you but also this amazing fanbase everyday I’m learning about myself and what was all of this for but now when I listen back and think of the power we all had including you as a fanbase I’m so happy that for 5 years we made such a great soundtrack to life for myself and everyone who got to listen sharing laughter pain and everything in between miss you boys. Lots of love.”

Listen to ENHYPEN’s cover of One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” below.

The 36th edition of Premio Lo Nuestro showcased a riveting medley by Puerto Rican legend Don Omar, who was joined onstage by Machine Gun Kelly, Anitta and Wisin & Yandel on Thursday night (Feb. 22).

Evoking a post-apocalyptic vibe with 15 dancers, the guest performers and the Don himself rocking black — Don Omar sported a black trench coat and his cornrows, as usual — the artist appeared atop a mountain of speakers against a neon-green backdrop that looked like something from The Matrix.

He kicked off with “Pobre Diabla” and was soon joined by Wisin & Yandel to deliver their joint hit “Nadie Como Tu.” The Brazilian powerhouse Anitta joined the Puerto Rican legend to sing “Salió El Sol” — smashing all the verses — with the dance floor lighting up like the sun.

For the grand finale, Machine Gun Kelly came out with his guitar, strumming the riff to “Danza Kuduro,” getting everyone on their feet. Thursday night’s collaboration comes months after MGK’s viral performance of the song in Spain.

“Seeing my song go viral in MGK’s voice absolutely blew my mind,” Don Omar told Rolling Stone about “Danza Kuduro.” “It’s incredible to see how music can transcend generations, genres and languages.”

“I was out dancing in Spain the night before my festival performance and ‘Danza Kuduro’ came on. It was the first moment of the night that everybody sang a song word-for-word and got lost in the vibe,” MGK told RS. “I woke up the next day and was like, ‘I’m going to sing this and re-create that moment for my first time performing in Spain.’”

Right after the wildly entertaining set, the Don was presented with the Ícono Global (Global Icon) award by all three guest performers.

“You have not only elevated reggaeton, but you have transformed it to a global dimension,” said Anitta. “Plus, you bring ‘Kuduro’ to every corner of the world.” Yandel added: “You are a pioneer, a genre warrior who was never afraid, and has known how to get ahead no matter what.”

“You and I are from different worlds, but your music brought us together tonight. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart,” MGK offered.

“For all that you have done, for your past, for your present and for your future, it is a great privilege to celebrate you with the Global Icon award, the king of reggaeton, Don Omar,” echoed Wisin.

Don Omar, with heartfelt gratitude, said, “This is for those who made urban music before me, for those who made urban music at the time I made it, for those who make urban music in the future and for all the countries where there is not even a single urban music artist. Long live urban music, long live Puerto Rico!”