AllTrack Meets With Congress to Address PRO Transparency Concerns

AllTrack, the performing rights organization built for independent musicians, has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill. The collection society met with several U.S. lawmakers, including Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), the congressman who in December 2025 asked the FTC to investigate what he called potentially deceptive practices by AllTrack and fellow newcomer Pro Music Rights.

The meetings included AllTrack executives and songwriters, and according to the company, the conversations with Fitzgerald's office led to a set of agreed-upon steps that the congressman found satisfactory enough to drop the need for further inquiry.

What AllTrack Agreed to Change and Why It Matters for Music Licensing

Fitzgerald's core complaint was about how AllTrack represented its roster. Specifically, his FTC letter pointed out that artists like Billy Ray Cyrus and No Doubt appeared on the site in ways that implied a fuller relationship than existed. AllTrack only holds rights to a partial interest in one Billy Ray Cyrus song and one composition recorded by No Doubt. The concern was that businesses were being pressured into buying licenses they might not actually need.

In response, AllTrack made two concrete changes. First, it added clearer disclosures beneath artist images clarifying that some featured names are performers of compositions in its catalog, not personal clients. Second, it moved a link to its full repertory from the site footer into the header, making it easier for any licensee to verify exactly what rights they are paying for.

These are small site updates, but the underlying issue is a big one for independent creators. How PROs communicate their catalog directly affects whether artists get paid and whether businesses feel confident in the licenses they purchase.

This episode is the latest chapter in a longer federal conversation around PRO accountability. The Copyright Office opened a formal Notice of Inquiry in February 2025 after Fitzgerald and other House Judiciary Committee members raised alarms about the proliferation of new collection societies. That inquiry closed in November 2025 without mandating any changes, which pushed Fitzgerald toward the FTC.

For AllTrack CEO Hayden Bower, the D.C. trip was a chance to frame the company's mission directly. His position is straightforward: well-informed licensees and fairly compensated creators are both signs of a healthy licensing market, and transparency serves everyone.

What Independent Artists and Songwriters Should Watch

If you are an independent artist or songwriter registered with any PRO, this conversation directly affects how your work gets licensed to bars, restaurants, venues, and streaming platforms. The federal spotlight on smaller PROs is not going away. Congress and the Copyright Office are actively shaping the rules of a market that determines whether your compositions earn money in the real world.

AllTrack's willingness to meet with lawmakers and make public commitments is a signal that the independent PRO space is maturing and being held to account. Whether that produces a more artist-friendly licensing environment or just more regulatory overhead is still being worked out.

If you are navigating music rights as an independent creator, check out [our resources for artists looking to submit and get heard](/submit). And keep an eye on this space as federal policy on PROs continues to develop.