OK … I’m angry (one more music industry rant)!
The more I read about Sound Exchange (and the fact that they collect performance royalties for artists who have never asked them to) the more upset I become. It is yet another example of a totally fucked up music industry dragging down both its customers and the other people that allow it to exist (artists and broadcasters). Hungry Lucy is currently a “member” of Sound Exchange. We receive a (very) small check every quarter for money they have collected from broadcasters that play our music. With the recent performance royalty increases (links to PDF), many of the broadcasters who have helped Hungry Lucy gain exposure are faced with ridiculous costs that threaten to put them out of business. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN.
With this in mind I just sent the following email to the Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer and Licensing & Enforcement Specialist at Sound Exchange. I hope it results in us getting one more foot out of a corrupt system. Excuse my language (above) … I’m angry! If any other artists are upset about this (and I hope you are), please let Sound Exchange know.
UPDATE: I am in contact with Sound Exchange. It appears this system doesn’t quite work as I understood (and has been written elsewhere) … stay tuned for details 
——————————
Hello,
My name is War-N Harrison. I am one half (and business manager) for the band Hungry Lucy (www.hungrylucy.com).
We currently receive statements/royalties from Sound Exchange. I joined up/registered with Sound Exchange a few years back after I received an email that Sound Exchange had collected money on our behalf for airplay of our music. So, I signed up and collected that money along with a few royalty distributions since. Since that time we have seen a significant benefit of increased exposure from podcasts and internet radio play. We see this exposure as a far greater benefit than the royalties Sound Exchange has collected on our behalf.
So, with this in mind, I would like to know how we can go about opting out of Sound Exchange, such that you no longer collect performance royalties on our behalf. We can then go to the podcasters and internet broadcasters that have helped us by assuring them they can play our music with no cost to them.
I also have a question. How is it that Sound Exchange is able to collect royalties on behalf of artists prior to the artist authorizing this?
Thanks for your help. I look forward to your response.
Regards,
War-N Harrison
—————
Hungry Lucy / Hungry Media
www.hungrylucy.com
www.hungry-media.com