التخطي إلى المحتوى الرئيسي

Petition: Demand that Musixmatch Respects Songwriters' Rights and Distribute Their Lyrics for Free


Musicians and songwriters all over the world are deeply upset by Musixmatch's latest policy changes! All of the lyrics you see on Spotify come from Musixmatch, and artists could submit them for free for years… until now! 

A policy change that negatively affects every singer/songwriter that releases music to digital streaming platforms, such as Spotify, and all users of streaming services who pay premium monthly subscriptions that include the song lyrics.

The petition: https://www.change.org/musixmatch-limiting-songwriters-exclusive-rights-to-distribute-lyrics

Musixmatch recently made changes that now requires all artists to purchase a Musixmatch Pro subscription before their lyrics are distributed and publicly displayed on streaming services like Spotify.

This is deemed unethical because:

  1. Many artists already pay their distributors (extra) to have lyrics published and synced on Spotify, and other platforms. Now artists are forced to additionally subscribe to Musixmatch Pro!

  2. Platforms buy licenses from Musixmatch to display all lyrics in their database.

  3. There is no other way for artists to get lyrics displayed on Spotify, and most of Musixmatch's partner platforms. One could challenge if this is abuse of monopoly power! 

  4. Subscribers of streaming services, such as Spotify, pay for premium subscriptions that include the display of available song lyrics. The policy change essentially downgrades the listening experience of fans on various streaming platforms (e.g. Spotify & Apple Music).

All in all, this leaves artists and fans in a tight spot. For independent artists, this is deemed especially problematic, because the cost of the paid Musixmatch Pro accounts is much higher than the potential royalties most artists receive for their song lyrics. 

Musixmatch essentially puts a price tag on an artist's exclusive right to have their creative output displayed publicly together with their music. This is also deemed to go against the main idea behind copyright law, which is to protect the songwriter's exclusive right to decide how their song lyrics are reproduced, distributed, and displayed to the public.

Without lyrics, Musixmatch would be out of business!

The solution is very simple!

Musixmatch already has a system in place that gives artists the possibility to be verified (the Musixmatch Pro Free account), but Musixmatch has placed the exclusive right that artists have to distribute lyrics to Spotify, and other platforms, behind a paid subscription (Pro Basic, or higher). 

We urge Musixmatch to reconsider their position and respect artists' rights by providing equitable opportunities for lyrics distribution. It is deemed a breach of every songwriter’s legal right to limit their capacity to display their song lyrics publicly, which is exactly what the current Musixmatch’s policies impose.

  1. We ask Musixmatch to stop requiring verified artists to pay for a mandatory Pro Subscription in order for their lyrics to be distributed to streaming platforms.

  2. Include the distribution and syncing of song lyrics submitted by / on behalf of verified artists in every Musixmatch Pro Free plan.

Stand with us in the fight to protect songwriters' rights. Sign this petition and make your voice heard. Demand fair music corporate policies.

Thank you!


Click here to view and sign the petition: https://www.change.org/musixmatch-limiting-songwriters-exclusive-rights-to-distribute-lyrics

Signing is free! (Change.org may ask you to sponsor them, which is optional)


Popular posts

"The List Goes On (Jordan's Song)" by Chris Sarver: Finding Freedom in Faith

Have you ever felt the weight of the past (old chains) even after you're free? Chris Sarver's "The List Goes On (Jordan's Song)" addresses this specific struggle. Chris shared the following: "Like many of you, I have been part of text thread groups whose main purpose is for encouragement and prayer. … About four years ago, in one of those men's groups, my friend from church, Jordan Hanks, shared a message you can see in the picture. It was simple. He wrote about how sometimes we feel the old weight we carried before Jesus lifted it. And when that weight tries to creep back in, he reminds himself of the names Jesus has earned in his life. He is a Healer." In other words, when shame whispers lies, we must speak truth louder. The lyrics confess, "The chains are gone, sometimes I still find that I can feel their weight." Instead of hiding this feeling, Chris Sarver turns it into a moment of worship. He calls out names that Jesus has earned in...
More >>

"Man I Used To Be" by Dax: Half the Weight, Double the Faith

"Man I Used To Be" by Dax is a very personal song. Dax had promised himself that he wouldn't release new music until he'd stayed sober for six months, the time he needed to get his priorities straight and clear his mind. "Man I Used To Be" is the sound of his first clean breath, life with God by his side. Dax lays it bare: "Trials and tribulations, all my past trauma," he acknowledges, along with "generational curses from daddy and mama," and the "addictions that clouded my eyes." The honesty about his past struggles makes the message of this song so relatable and powerful.  The chorus is about the moment that the script was flipped, "I'm half the man I used to be." Not a broken man, but a man who has been freed from the burdens that weren't his to carry and kept him from God. "I don't ever chase, I got God," declaring that his new identity is anchored in faith. It's a shrug and a testimo...
More >>

'Lonely Dirt Road' by Dax: A Journey to Solitude and God

Dax's 'Lonely Dirt Road' is a conversation that Dax has with himself and God. Dax shares his journey of turning mental health walks into healing solitary drives. As you listen, you can almost feel the cruise, where it's just you, your thoughts, and God.  The chorus is so relatable: 'When I need space, that's where I go, a place to escape that nobody knows.' What do you do when life's pressures stack high? Do you also have a space where you can let go? That lonely dirt road that Dax sings about symbolizes solitude, but it is also an incredible opportunity for connecting with God.  Dax's honesty is raw and relatable. 'I didn't want my family to see me cry… dealing with the pressure of trying to provide.' There are times when we all put on a smile to hide how challenging situations may be. Like his father, Dax says that he finds peace on this lonely road, where challenges become opportunities to grow. This shows the core of our faith: that...
More >>