John Washington III Tells Spotify 'a Big, Fat No': American King Records Will Not Hand Over Its Masters for Remixes

HOUSTON - John Washington III has drawn a hard line around his record label's catalog. In a public statement, John Washington III, the owner of American King Records, rejected any arrangement under which a streaming platform would negotiate deals allowing other people to remix his artists' music. 'My answer is no! Absolutely not!' he wrote. 'Spotify is a streaming platform. Spotify is not my record company!'

John Washington III wrote that he did not build his label, invest his money, develop his artists and create his music catalog so that a streaming platform could negotiate how other people use the label's master recordings. Anyone who wants to remix, sample or commercially use one of those recordings, he wrote, follows the established route: 'You come to the record company!' - contact American King Records, negotiate a licensing agreement, and settle the upfront payment, royalties, ownership and terms of use. 'That is how the music business works!' he wrote. He added that he is not interested in surrendering control of the masters in exchange for an undisclosed streaming royalty that, in his words, might amount to fractions of a penny: 'We are not giving away our music!'

The statement closed with a message aimed at independent artists and labels as much as at the platform. 'Your music is an asset. Your master recordings are property. Your rights have value!' John Washington III wrote, arguing that easier remix technology is no reason to surrender control. His position, stated as label policy, bars unauthorized remixes of American King masters, bars third-party licensing without the label's approval, and bars giving away control of the catalog - ending, in his words: 'Our music. Our masters. Our rights. Our decision. And my decision is a big, fat no!'