Following the U.S. Copyright Office's proposal to increase registration rates by an average of 43%, advocates warn the move could hurt indie musicians most. Seal of the United States Copyright Office. Trending on Billboard The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), which advocates for independent labels, along with 10 other music industry groups, has penned an open letter to the US Copyright Office that pushes back on the Office’s proposed 43% average rate hike for copyright registration — noting that it would hurt working-class artists and small music businesses most. The letter also notes that the proposed hike comes at a time when the use of generative AI is rapidly expanding, adding that cost-prohibitive prices for copyright registration could leave less privileged artists’ rights to their work vulnerable.…