DIMA Comments on National Trade Estimate Report

Before the Office of the United States Trade Representative – Washington, DC

In re Request for Public Comments on National Trade Estimate
Docket Number: USTR-2026-0498

COMMENTS OF THE DIGITAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION (DIMA) REGARDING THE NATIONAL TRADE ESTIMATE REPORT ON FOREIGN TRADE BARRIERS

October 29, 2026

The Digital Media Association (DIMA) offers the following comments in response to USTR’s Federal Register notice inviting submissions from the public to assist USTR and the Trade Policy Staff Committee to identify significant foreign barriers to, or distortions of, U.S. exports of goods and services and U.S. foreign direct investment, for inclusion in the National Trade Estimate Report.

DIMA represents the leading music streaming services in the world: Amazon, Apple Music, Feed.fm, Pandora, Qobuz, Spotify, TIDAL, and YouTube. Our members are the driving force of recorded music revenue in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and much of the rest of the world.

DIMA’s members are responsible for approximately 82% of recorded music revenues in the United States with the record industry reporting royalty revenues from at approximately $9.5 million domestically and $22 billion globally, and for the music publishing industry reporting royalty revenues from streaming at approximately $7.3 billion domestically and $10 billion globally.

Music streaming services are not just the economic engine powering the U.S. and global music industries; music streaming is also a significant contributor to the broader economy. In the U.S., for every $1 in economic value generated by streaming, other sectors of the U.S. economy gain an additional $1.65. For every job directly created in music streaming, other sectors of the U.S. economy gain nine additional jobs. And streaming services are constantly innovating – in 2020, 8.82% of revenue from streaming services went to research and development – more than twice the investment level of the average industry. Streaming sustains thousands of businesses large and small, from the services themselves to artists, songwriters, producers, managers, record labels, music publishers, and collective rights management organizations.

All of this has helped transform the music industry into a growing, commercially vibrant sector that is once again attracting private investment, generating resources to nurture and develop talent, and delivering an enhanced experience for fans. 94% of U.S. music streamers say they like or love their streaming service. This is translating into real results for the music industry – streamers are spending 26% more on recorded music today than they did just five years ago.

The majority of DIMA’s members operate internationally, and all of them rely on global music supply chains that enable music listeners to listen to whatever music they want, whenever they want, and for artists to connect with fans and reach new audiences around the world.

Streaming is a global success story – and a testament to American innovation and creativity – but there are a number of initiatives under consideration or recently enacted in countries around the world that could negatively impact this positive story and penalize and discriminate against U.S. companies – including the American music industry supply chain.

DIMA appreciates USTR’s consideration of these issues and the work to identify unfair foreign trade barriers.

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