You’ve probably heard a lot about the gut wrenching need for a “global rights database” because “music licensing is broken”.  It sounds like of like a political campaign advertisement, right?

Music licensing is broken

Let’s drain the swamp

And protect the future for our children

Let’s get something straight at the outset:  This “if we only had a database” jive is the grand deflection at work.  You see it coming from a number of places all at once which is a bit of a head scratcher.  I think that having a global rights database will do absolutely nothing to fix what is looking more and more like a totally predictable and massive black box of earned but unpaid royalties at streaming services (other than Apple).  Which is why streaming services are trying so hard to get you to “look ovah theah” with the light touch of a James Carville (a…