Thinking of outfitting your snazzy website with some tasty tunes? If you plan on streaming the music directly to your site, expect to pay royalty fees—currently averaging 65 cents per listener, per month. New rates and other fees, which have increased since last year, had online radio station companies and small webcasters up in arms last June, prompting them to hold a National Day of Silence and music suppliers to reconsider their rates. In November, new royalty rates were proposed that had companies breathing a little easier. While you won't face the same rates that large online stations do, keep in mind that royalty rates are expected to keep rising in the next few years. For royalty rate information and more, visit soundexchange.com.
—By James Park
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