NMPA Finalizes Licensing Deal with SoundCloud

National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) President and CEO David Israelite today (May 6) announced the organization has negotiated the terms of a Rights Agreement with SoundCloud.

The deal will benefit of NMPA’s independent music publisher and songwriters members to receive royalties through content monetization for their work on the streaming site.

“This agreement ensures that when SoundCloud succeeds financially, so do the songwriters whose content draws so many users to their site,” said Israelite. “I am thrilled that we could agree on terms that will benefit both creators and the SoundCloud platform that has brought online music access and creativity to a new level.”

SoundCloud launched in 2008 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss in Berlin. The audio platform gives users access to the world’s largest community of music and audio creators.

Billboard reports Sony Music has removed original recordings from the SoundCloud pages of Adele, Hozier, Miguel, Kelly Clarkson, Passion Pit, Leon Bridges, and more “as part of a breakdown in negotiations between the major music group.”

“Until recently [Soundcloud] was a completely free service to more than 350 million monthly users,” notes Andrew Hampp. “Though its content was unlicensed, the platform has played an influential role in helping developing artists like Lorde and, ironically, Bridges get discovered and ultimately signed by major labels – as well as a destination for established acts like Beyonce, Miguel and Drake to debut new material.”