Copyright Office Seeks Input on Digital Music Royalty Late Fees

The US Copyright Office is soliciting public feedback on digital music royalty late fees and whether the current structure should be changed.

The office’s Federal Register notice, set to publish on Thursday, requests comments on when late fees for royalty payments should be assessed in connection with reporting by digital music providers under mechanical blanket licenses issued under the Music Modernization Act.

Under the MMA, copyright royalty judges are responsible for setting the rates of the blanket license and terms of royalty payments. The current late fee provision, adopted as part of an settlement approved in late 2022, requires ...