Slash and Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.)

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Guns N' Roses' Slash Lobbies Congress For Fair Pay For Musicians

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Fresh off GNR's world tour, the GRAMMY-winning guitarist advocated for music professionals at the Recording Academy's holiday reception for lawmakers on Capitol Hill
Renée Fabian
Advocacy
Dec 13, 2017 - 8:59 am

On Dec. 6 the Recording Academy hosted a holiday reception for lawmakers on Capitol Hill, but not before Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash made the rounds one-one-one to lobby for fair pay for musicians.

The GRAMMY winner championed fair pay for the next generation of performers, songwriters and producers. One of the key issues for the Academy is to ensure artists get paid when their music is played on AM or FM radio. Currently, when a tune hits the radio airwaves, only the songwriters receive royalties, leaving performers and copyright owners without any compensation for the use of their work.

Case in point: Though Slash co-wrote many of Guns N' Roses' hits, the Top 5 power ballad "November Rain" was solely written by frontman Axl Rose. Slash, who contributed two distinct guitar solos to the song, doesn't receive a single penny when the song is played on terrestrial radio.

Whether music is played on satellite radio, internet radio or traditional AM/FM radio, it's imperative that music services compensate creators under consistent, uniform standards that reflect fair-market value. Slash underlined this point, adding in his lobbying campaign that a change in radio policies is crucial to making sure musicians can continue making a living.

Slash advocates

(Members of Congress attend the Slash Holiday Reception hosted by the Recording Arts and Sciences Congressional Caucus in the Canon House Office Building on Dec. 6 in Washington, DC.)

"It makes it hard for me to tell kids to pursue a career in music — it's almost like lying to them to encourage them," Slash told partygoers, according to The Washington Post. "I've got a 15-year-old who is a musician and he's awesome, so I encourage him, but it's hard for me to tell him there's a future for him where he can make it as a songwriter and as a performer."

Rep. Nadler: New House Judiciary Committee Role Could Benefit Music Creators

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.)

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.)

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Arts Advocacy Champion Rep. Louise M. Slaughter Dies

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Longtime congresswoman who supported the rights of music creators has died
Renée Fabian
Advocacy
Mar 21, 2018 - 4:11 pm

Longtime congresswoman and arts champion Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.) died on March 16 following an injury. She was 88 years old.

Slaughter, who was elected to the House of Representatives for New York in 1986, was a longtime champion of the arts. She served as the Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus for 23 years. One of her final acts in Congress was spearheading a "Dear Colleague" letter encouraging full funding of the National Endowment for the Arts after learning about President Donald Trump's proposed budget cuts of the important program. The letter garnered a record 166 signatures from members.

She also supported artists getting paid for terrestrial radio, co-sponsored the Fair Play Fair Pay Act in this congress and the 114th Congress as well as the Performance Rights Act in the 110th and 111th Congresses. She also co-sponsored the Allocation For Music Producers Act, CLASSICS Act and the Music Modernization Act this Congress.

Beyond her tireless advocacy for music creators and the arts, Slaughter had an impressive career. Born in Kentucky, Slaughter earned degrees in microbiology and public health before relocating to New York where she served in the New York State Assembly from 1982 to 1986. When she was elected to Congress in 1986, she wasted no time in advocating for the rights of others, such as her support for children under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Housing Assistance Act.

When Slaughter became the chair of the House Committee on Rules from 2007–2011, she became the first woman to chair the committee since its inception in 1789. Other important initiatives Slaughter had a hand in include authoring the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, co-authoring the Violence Against Women Act, serving as co-chair and founding member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, and establishing the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health.

"To have met Louise Slaughter is to have known a force of nature," said her chief of staff Liam Fitzsimmons. "It is difficult to find a segment of society that Louise didn't help shape over the course of more than 30 years in Congress."

There is no more fitting way to honor her "force of nature" than to support her efforts to fund the NEA. Join the Recording Academy and urge Congress to fully fund the agency.

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Conversations in Advocacy #4

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Spotify Under Fire For Failing To Properly License Music — Again

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In this latest installment of "Conversations in Advocacy," learn why the streaming company is facing more legal trouble and how it impacts songwriters
Renée Fabian
Advocacy
Jan 5, 2018 - 1:37 pm

"How many more times does Spotify have to be sued before songwriters will finally be paid for every track? It's time for Congress to step in and update music licensing laws to fix the outdated modes of payments to creators." — Conversations in Advocacy #4

Spotify is facing yet another lawsuit over music creator royalties for allegedly not obtaining proper licenses for thousands of songs available on the popular streaming service.

The $1.6 billion suit against Spotify was filed in California court on Dec. 29, 2017, by Wixen Music Publishing, a company representing clients such as Tom Petty, Neil Young, Steely Dan's Donald Fagen, and Stevie Nicks.

This suit, which marks the latest in a series of legal complaints from music publishers who feel that the streaming giant hasn't done enough to compensate music creators, follows a potential settlement to a class-action case brought by a group of songwriters, including David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick. In May 2017, Spotify proposed a $43 million settlement to cover mechanical licenses it failed to acquire. The settlement was lambasted by many across the music industry as being inadequate.

What's more frustrating for songwriters is that these complaints against Spotify aren't new. They date back at least as far as 2015 when Spotify committed to building a system to pay rightsholders their due share, even when they couldn't be immediately identified, by working closely with the National Music Publishers Association. These unpaid royalties have been estimated at upwards of $25 million.

"One of our core commitments is making sure that everyone involved in the creation of music is paid fairly, rapidly and transparently," Spotify wrote in a blog post in 2015. "We want to fix the global problem of bad publishing data once and for all, and that's why we're making this commitment today."

While statements such as these could be construed as good intentions, the latest lawsuit against Spotify underlines the need for Congress to step in and make sure songwriters — and all music makers — are compensated for their work every time it's played. A number of bills have been introduced into Congress that would modernize laws to ensure music is fairly valued on streaming services, digital radio, terrestrial radio, and wherever music is heard.

At the end of the day, songwriters rightly want to make a living wage off their labor, which doesn't seem too much to ask.

"We're just asking to be treated fairly," Wixen Music Publishing President/CEO Randall Wixen told Variety. "We are not looking for a ridiculous punitive payment. … All we're asking for is for them to reasonably compensate our clients by sharing a miniscule amount of the revenue they take in with the creators of the product they sell."

"Conversations in Advocacy" is your weekend digital tip sheet on the policies that affect music makers and their craft. New installments post every Friday.

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Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Jerrold Nadler

Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Jerrold Nadler

Photo: Sean Zanni/WireImage.com

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House Judiciary Committee Approves Music Modernization Act

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Bill with unprecedented support that would revolutionize the music industry moves closer to becoming law, ensuring fair pay for music creators
Advocacy
Apr 11, 2018 - 3:23 pm

The Recording Academy has been trumpeting the Music Modernization Act a lot lately, and for good reason. Since rumors broke on the comprehensive bill in January, which garnered historic support from the far reaches of the music industry, the Academy has remained optimistic and enthusiastic that the MMA would pass Congress this year. Now, that dream is one step closer to becoming a reality.

On April 10 House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and 29 additional members of the House of Representatives introduced the MMA. Today, the bill, H.R. 5447, went to the House Judiciary Committee for markup, where it passed unanimously with a vote of 32–0 following review.

From here, the MMA will proceed to the full House for a vote in the near future, and then attention turns to the Senate who will be tasked with considering similar, comprehensive reforms. A Senate Judiciary hearing and markup on music licensing reform is anticipated in the next few months.

The MMA marks a historic step forward for music legislation, which hasn't been updated in a generation. The comprehensive package combines three previous bills, including a songwriter-focused Music Modernization Act (H.R. 4706), which establishes an independent board to handle mechanical royalties while offering digital music services a "safe harbor" from copyright infringement lawsuits.

It also includes the CLASSICS Act (H.R. 3301), which requires digital services to pay for songs recorded prior to 1972, and the Allocation for Music Producers Act (H.R. 881), which codifies into law the way that producers and engineers get paid royalties for their work on sound recordings.

The current version of the MMA has also adopted a feature of the Fair Play Fair Pay Act (H.R. 1836) to update how the Copyright Royalty Board determines the rate digital services pay for recordings.

"This legislation, which is the first major update to our music licensing laws in decades, brings early 20th century music laws for the analog era into the 21st Century digital era," said Goodlatte.

"I look forward to working with [Chairman Goodlatte], and all those who made this bill a reality, to see that it is enacted into law," added Nadler.

"We are thrilled to celebrate the introduction of the Music Modernization Act," Neil Portnow, President and CEO of the Recording Academy told Billboard. "This historic bill has been a goal of the Recording Academy for several years as it unites the music community under one piece of legislation and provides meaningful updates to copyright law to help all music creators.

"This collaboration is the kind of work that changes the game for the music industry. Congress is recognizing the impact and cultural significance of work before 1972, while paving the way for the next generation of music creators."

Pitch In! Tell The House To Pass The Music Modernization Act Today

GRAMMYs On The Hill 2016

(l-r) The Academy's Daryl Friedman and Neil Portnow, Rep. Judy Chu, and Anna Nalick at GRAMMYs on the Hill 2016, Photo: Cheriss May/Nurphoto/Getty Images

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Music, Politics To Unite At 2018 GRAMMYs On The Hill

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Celebrating its 20th year of Advocacy, the Recording Academy will once again bring music and politics together on Capitol Hill on behalf of creators' rights
Nate Hertweck
Advocacy
Mar 28, 2018 - 3:14 pm

Each spring, the Recording Academy's groundswell of advocacy efforts on behalf of music creators and copyright holders culminates in its flagship event, GRAMMYs on the Hill. With a lineup of crucial legislation on the table aimed to modernize copyright law, an incredible cast of honorees from music and politics, and the creative and political communities united like never before, this year's celebration of 20 years of Advocacy in Washington, D.C., promises to be pivotal.

Little Big Town: Meet The Nominees | 60th GRAMMYs

The private event kicks off in the nation's capital at the Hamilton Live on April 18 with the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards. This year, the ceremony will honor three-time GRAMMY-winning group Little Big Town for their support and advocacy for key causes aligned with closely the Recording Academy, including advocating for music education and supporting MusiCares.

GRAMMYs on the Hill will also recognize two outstanding legislators who have made significant efforts to improve the environment for music creators' rights: Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.). Chu has long been an fervent supporter of creators' rights, and serves as a co-chair of the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus with Collins, who authored the songwriter-focused Music Modernization Act.

GRAMMYs On The Hill 2014

(l-r) Gary Burr, Rep. Doug Collins (R.-Ga.), Victoia Shaw Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

"We're honored to stand alongside the Academy and Reps. Chu and Collins in speaking out and protecting an industry that has done so much for us," said Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet.

"Music is healing and powerful, and music education gives our children an outlet for expression that is absolutely necessary for their overall growth and well-being," continued Sweet's bandmate, Karen Fairchild. "We will continue to do our part to protect music education, songwriters, recordings, and the artists who bring them to life."

The event will celebrate the contributions of each of these honorees and feature a special performance by Little Big Town, along with another special musical surprise.

The following day, April 19, music creators will take to Capitol Hill to participate in GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day, where they will meet face to face with members of Congress to discuss how current music legislation affects their livelihoods on a daily basis. These personal meetings will provide some of the music industry's finest with the chance to convey the real-world importance of copyright reform and dire need for comprehensive music legislation that benefits all creators, including performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers. Some of these key pieces of legislation include the aforementioned Music Modernization Act, as well as the AMP Act, the CLASSICs Act and Fair Play Fair Pay Act.

For music creators who depend on their work to earn a living, GRAMMYs on the Hill offers the opportunity for their voices to be heard as songwriters and artists speak directly with the members of Congress who wield the power to enact much-needed copyright reform and preserve the National Endowment of the Arts in a social, entertaining environment, bringing attention to the joy of music and the necessity of supporting those who create it.

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