DIMA Comments on National Trade Estimate Report
October 30, 2025 | Filings & Letters
Before the Office of the United States Trade Representative – Washington, DC
In re Request for Public Comments on National Trade Estimate
Docket Number: USTR-2025-0016
COMMENTS OF THE DIGITAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION (DIMA) REGARDING THE NATIONAL TRADE ESTIMATE REPORT ON FOREIGN TRADE BARRIERS
October 30, 2025
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, Spotify, and YouTube. Our members are the driving source of recorded music revenue in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and much of the rest of the world.
In the United States, DIMA’s members are responsible for approximately 84% of recorded music revenues, with music streaming generating more than $14 billion for the U.S. recorded music industry in 2024.1
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 led not only to a revitalized music industry, which now sees year-over-year revenue increases, after being rescued from the clutches of piracy, but also an enhanced fan experience. 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 supply chains that support a robust music industry that empowers 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.
DIMA appreciates USTR’s consideration of these issues and the work to identify unfair foreign trade barriers.
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