Social music site Last.fm Ltd. has
launched its
previously announced Artist Royalty Program, through which unsigned musicians can claim royalty payments for songs streamed on the service.
CBS-owned Last.fm says unsigned artists have uploaded 450,000 tracks eligible for the program, which covers recording rights but not publishing fees. Artists who sign up for the program must make their songs available for Last.fm's on-demand streaming service in addition to its personalized Internet radio streams and recommendation engine, which uses
collaborative filtering to suggest new music based on other users' tastes.
Last.fm isn't saying exactly how much unsigned artists will be paid, but a company spokesperson says the rates will be competitive with what commercial radio pays. [
UPDATE: The spokesperson added that the rates will also be superior to those paid by non-BBC stations in the U.K.]
-- Paul BonanosSee posts from Last.fm
announcing the launch and
announcing the program
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