Methods for proxy-driven content rate selection for streaming media servers are provided. In one method, one or more maximum transmission rate parameters from a network controller are stored at a proxy server in response to a receiver report message from the client. A target rate for the media session is generated based on the stored maximum transmission rate parameters, and the target rate is transmitted to a media server in a proxy-to-server feedback message. The media server selects the content rate from among a plurality of supported content rates in response to the proxy-to-server feedback message from the proxy server, and streams streaming multimedia frames to the client at the selected content rate.