Big copyright changes come for streaming music providers

Streaming music services may pay more money to copyright holders under legislation that passed the House unanimously late last month. Yet Spotify and Pandora are backing the legislation anyhow as it goes to the Senate for final approval.

The Music Modernization Act, a mashup of three bills, would resolve issues that emerged as streaming services began paying royalties for music broadcast over the Internet and via satellite. Unlike FM and AM radio, they are on the hook for paying copyright holders.