TORONTO (CelebrityAccess) — Canada reproduction rights collective CMRRA announced that they have reached a licensing deal with streaming music servicer Amazon Music. The news comes just a day after Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited in Canada.
The deal provides Amazon with access to its music publisher and rightsholder clients, which together represent more than 80,000 music catalogues.
On behalf of its music publisher clients, CMRRA issues licenses and collects royalties for the reproduction of musical works. Licensees pay royalties to CMRRA, which in turn distributes the royalties to its music publisher clients on a quarterly basis.
“We’re very happy to have come to a negotiated agreement with Amazon Music and to see them enter Canada with Amazon Music Unlimited. Amazon Music and its entry will benefit both Canadian consumers and the rightsholders that we serve by offering a new point of sale and a new source of revenue for music publishers and their songwriters,” CMRRA President Caroline Rioux said.
Terms of the deal are not being disclosed, but the rates apply to the reproduction of songs on Amazon Music Unlimited, which will now be available throughout Canada for the first time.
CMRRA leads rate-setting efforts before the Copyright Board of Canada, as well as directly through negotiations with licensees. CMRRA also has licensing deals with other major streaming services such as Apple, Google, and Spotify.
