Protect Working Musicians Act of 2023

The Protect Working Musicians Act of 2023 allows independent musicians and music creators who own their copyrights to collectively negotiate licensing terms with large online music platforms without violating antitrust laws. It specifically applies to creators earning under $1 million annually in licensing revenue or qualifying as small businesses. The bill creates a safe harbor that protects coordinated negotiations (not limited to price, non-discriminatory, and only involving independent creators and platforms) from antitrust lawsuits. This aims to address an imbalance where dominant platforms set low rates and ignore creators who refuse unfavorable terms, without requiring platforms to change their current licensing practices.