Protect Working Musicians Act of 2026

The bill seeks to rectify a significant power imbalance faced by independent music creators in the digital music market. It highlights how Dominant Online Music Distribution Platforms dictate licensing terms, often exploiting the "notice and takedown" system to profit from unlicensed music, which is particularly detrimental to independent artists lacking resources. This situation has led to a decline in careers and an unhealthy music ecosystem, despite music's cultural and economic importance, as these platforms can ignore individual artists without threatening their overall consumer appeal. To address this, the legislation establishes an antitrust safe harbor , allowing Independent Music Creator Owners to collectively negotiate licensing terms or collectively refuse to license their music. This protection applies when dealing with dominant online platforms and companies developing generative artificial intelligence . The collective actions must not be limited to price, be nondiscriminatory, and be directly related to necessary negotiations, ensuring fair market practices for creators who own their copyrights and meet specific revenue or small business criteria.