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Bloomberg Law: Spotify's Court Win Exposes Gap in Streaming Royalty Debate 

Submitted by Joanne De Pue on February 6, 2025 - 11:30am
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In a recent interview with Bloomberg Law, School of Music adjunct faculty member Peter Nicolas weighs in on the impacts on songwriters of recent court rulings in favor of Spotify USA Inc. and its "bundling" pricing structure that drastically reduced royalty payment to artists on the streaming platform.  

The ruling, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, opens the door for providers like Apple Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. to mimic Spotify’s royalty-slashing strategy, but also exposes regulatory gaps publishers could address through administrative channels.

Nicolas, an adjunct professor in Music History, wears multiple hats at the UW: he is the William L. Dwyer Endowed Chair in Law, an adjunct professor of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, and director of the UW's Intellectual Property Law & Policy Graduate Program.

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