Spotify has struck a new direct licensing agreement with Kobalt. The news follows about six months after the streaming service struck agreements with other top publishers — Universal Music Publishing Group and Warner Chappell — both of which reported at the time that their deals with Spotify improved remuneration for songwriters on the platform.

Details of the deal remain limited, but a source familiar with the matter says it positions Kobalt to earn beyond the baseline mechanical royalties set by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board. Kobalt’s CEO, Laurent Hubert, calls the company’s direct deal with Spotify a “step in the right direction” which “reaffirms our unwavering commitment to ensuring our songwriters are paid fairly for their work, and underscores the importance of progressive licens

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