New Congress Webinar

New Congress Webinar

 

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Legislators, Creators Join Recording Academy's Webinar On Music And The New Congress

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On Feb. 1, the Recording Academy hosted a webinar to stress the importance of music advocacy, and demonstrate the viability of creator-friendly legislation in the new legislation session
Matthew Bango
Advocacy
Feb 4, 2021 - 7:49 am

On January 3rd, the 117th Congress officially started with the swearing-in of lawmakers. While COVID-19 relief package passed at the end of last year was a step in the right direction, the new Congress must continue to pass creator-friendly legislation in the immediate future, including additional financial relief for struggling creators and the HITS Act.

To help music advocates understand the recent power shift in Washington, D.C., the Recording Academy hosted the "New Congress Webinar" on Monday (Feb. 1). This webinar featured current and former members of Congress, along with Academy member advocates, to discuss how the new Congress will impact the creative workforce, and how advocates can help shape the legislative branch's agenda.

The webinar's first panel was moderated by Daryl Friedman, the Academy's Chief Advocacy Officer, and featured Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas). Representing many members of the creative workforce, Congresswoman Sánchez championed the Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act in the previous Congress, and shared the importance of actively contacting your elected leaders. When discussing the past year's numerous challenges, Congressman McCaul, another champion for music-friendly legislation, spoke to the universally healing nature of music, arguing that, "Music transcends politics…we are looking to the musician and creator to help us get through this."  

Following the first panel, Kelley Purcell, the Academy's Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations, lead a discussion with Academy members on the power of challenging members of Congress to support music-friendly policies. Tracy Hamlin, a Recording Academy National Trustee for the Washington, D.C. Chapter, described the importance of advocacy, "It was very important to me to take advantage of the opportunity to be a voice at the table, share my story with my elected leaders, and to really help to humanize the many issues we face as creators today." Andrew Joslyn, an Academy National Trustee for the Pacific Northwest Chapter, and Alex Ritchie, a member of the Los Angeles Chapter and an artist, producer, and songwriter, also shared their experiences of being an advocate on behalf of the creative workforce. 

The final conversation was held between Diane Blagman, a Washington, D.C. Chapter Governor and two former members of Congress, J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) and Albert Wynn (D-Md.). During the panel, Forbes stressed the importance of sharing "what the pundits don't tell you" about the interworking of the legislative process, while Wynn, a jazz enthusiast, outlined the goals of the Biden Administration and Democratic Majorities in both the House and Senate. 

The intended takeaway from the webinar was to stress the importance of music advocacy, and demonstrate the viability of creator-friendly legislation in the new legislation session. If you have yet to view, the full webinar is available on the Academy's Facebook page. 

Bipartisan Package Brings New COVID Relief And More

Uixi Amargós

Uixi Amargós recording during the pandemic

Photo: Xavi Torrent/Getty Images

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Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act Reintroduced in the House and Senate

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The bipartisan and bicameral HITS Act has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives and Senate, delivering much-needed relief to music creators if passed
Matthew Bango
Advocacy
Mar 16, 2021 - 4:14 pm

Today, the bipartisan and bicameral Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act was reintroduced in Washington. The Senate version of the bill is again introduced by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and the companion bill in the House of Representatives is sponsored by Reps. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif) and Ron Estes (R-Kan.). The House bill is also supported by Reps. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), and Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.).

The HITS Act, which was first introduced last Congress, is designed to allow artists and record producers to deduct 100 percent of sound recording production expenses in the year they are incurred, rather than amortized over the life of the recording, typically 3-4 years. The bill eases the financial burden placed on independent artists by removing the multi-year amortization requirement and allowing an individual to fully expense the cost of new studio recordings on their taxes, up to $150,000.

The HITS Act also aligns the tax code for music production with similar provisions for other creative industries. Currently, qualified film, live theatrical, and television production companies enjoy the ability to deduct 100 percent of their production expenses in the year such expenses are incurred.

The HITS Act would also incentivize the production of new sound recordings at a time when music creators still need help overcoming the financial fallout resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. With tours canceled and gigs indefinitely delayed, many creatives are left without access to their traditional revenue streams. Congress continues to address the unequal impact felt by the creative workforce through enhanced unemployment insurance, extending Small Business Administration loan programs, and creating targeted relief programs for independent venues. 

While these relief programs are a welcomed resource for the music ecosystem, Congress must continue to provide targeted assistance for the most vulnerable creators – independent artists. That is why the Recording Academy collaborated with policymakers on finding a solution that encourages and incentivizes the creative workforce to safely return to the studio.

The Academy applauds the reintroduction of the HITS Act. “A year after the pandemic brought social distancing and shutdowns, independent music creators have been hit hard, which is why the Recording Academy is pleased to support the reintroduction of the HITS Act,” said Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy. “This bipartisan bill will change the tax code – putting music creators on a level playing field with other creative industries – helping thousands of independent creators get back on track by incentivizing music production, creating new opportunities and revitalizing the music economy.  We thank Senators Feinstein and Blackburn and Representatives Sanchez, Estes, Chu, McCaul, DelBene, and Napolitano.”

“Like families and workers across the country, music producers and creators in each of our communities have been hit hard by this pandemic. In fact, they were among the first out of work as tours and festivals were canceled, venues shuttered, and studio sessions were postponed,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Today, I'm proud to re-introduce the HITS Act. This bill will make things just a little easier for the small, independent creators that make the music we often turn to during hard times like this."

“The pandemic has made it harder for many people to make ends meet, including musicians and music producers who have been among the hardest hit because of bans on large gatherings,” said Senator Feinstein. “Our bill would allow independent musicians, technicians and producers to deduct their production expenses in the same year they occur, rather than forcing them to spread those deductions out over several years. This change would help keep music creators afloat until we can again gather and listen to them in person.”

“The music from Nashville strikes a chord with folks across the nation,” said Senator Blackburn. “However, the unique burdens faced by the arts community forced many to stop writing, performing, and producing altogether. The HITS act will provide targeted tax deductions to support our musicians and allow them to get back to work.”

“As for so many Americans, shutdowns and social distancing brought havoc for small recording artists over the past year,” said Congressman Estes. “The bipartisan HITS Act will help thousands of independent music creators around the country by providing common sense tax savings on certain expenses – giving this industry the targeted relief it needs as our nation recovers.”

Championed by the Recording Academy, the legislation is supported by many members of the music ecosystem, including the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), SAG-AFTRA, Music Artists Coalition, Artists Rights Alliance, Recording Industry Association of America, National Music Publishers Association, SoundExchange, Global Music Rights, SESAC, National Independent Venue Association, National Independent Talent Organization, Future of Music Coalition, Digital Media Association, Nashville Songwriters Association International, ASCAP, BMI, Gospel Music Association, Christian Music Trade Association and Songwriters of North America.

As the only organization representing all music creators, the Academy thanks these members of Congress for standing with struggling creators by reintroducing the HITS Act, and looks forward to the passage of this landmark relief bill. 

Take Action: Ask Congress to Pass the HITS Act

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Billboard: How The Recording Academy And Its Allies Scored Big Wins In COVID Relief Package

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Billboard’s recent profile told the story of how Recording Academy members and the greater music community helped Congress to shape the latest COVID relief package
Matthew Bango
Advocacy
Jan 29, 2021 - 8:30 am

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted the livelihoods of many Recording Academy members. Since March, the creative community has been left without access to traditional income and tasked with searching for alternative sources of support, including engaging their fan bases differently, temporarily changing professions, and applying for grants from nonprofits, such as the Academy’s MusiCares. In addition to these options, federal, state, and local governments have appropriated resources to financially support displaced and unemployed workers.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Recording Academy has raised awareness of the music community’s struggles and lobbied for the inclusion of necessary financial assistance in legislative relief packages, including the landmark CARES Act. While the $2 trillion bill resulted in effective short-term relief at the beginning of the pandemic, many of the key provisions expired, or were set to sunset, by the end of the calendar year, setting up a potential nightmare scenario were struggling creators would be left without vital financial assistance.

To recap how the Academy and our members successfully intervened to stop these programs from expiring, Billboard recently published an in-depth analysis on the Academy’s advocacy in action, which resulted in Congress including additional creator-friendly provisions in the latest COVID-19 relief package. The article compartmentalized the Academy’s efforts into “four strategic pillars”: in-house lobbying, grassroots mobilization, celebrity influence, and coalition-building.

The Academy’s in-house advocacy team spent hundreds of hours educating policy makers about the needs of struggling music creators and had a hand in shaping the final COVID relief package. While normal lobbying typically occurs in-person, the Advocacy team quickly adjusted their strategy to comply with both the Academy’s and Capitol Hill’s COVID-19 restrictions. Daryl Friedman, the Academy’s Chief Advocacy Officer, told Billboard that, "[It's] really kind of an unusual way to lobby because we’re used to being in people’s offices and going to receptions with the members of Congress and holding fundraisers and doing all sorts of things that couldn’t be done in a pandemic." While the pandemic presents a unique challenge of accessing key legislators, Friedman told Billboard that the virtual model allows for more “effective” lobbying since time is not lost commuting to Capitol Hill.

Next, the Academy enlisted its best advocates to help shape the latest COVID package: our membership. Standing 20,000+ strong, Recording Academy members continuously prove to be their own best advocate due to their ability to provide first-hand accounts of the experiences navigating the creative workforce. P.J. Morton, a GRAMMY winning singer/songwriter and Recording Academy Trustee, met with Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) during the virtual District Advocate day in August. Morton described his experience of meeting with the Congressional leader to Billboard. “To hear personally from someone that, hey man, this thing you love so much is really suffering, and the people that make it that you love are suffering, and if we don’t get some help you may not have access to that stuff that you love so much…it’s hard to just overlook that.”

The third strategic pillar used by the Academy is to host meetings between policymakers and musicians with high name recognition. Friedman argued that, “[Celebrities] can get attention in a way that sometimes even we can’t.” These notable musicians helped the Academy land meetings with Congressional leadership, a difficult task during the lengthy COVID negotiations.

Finally, the Recording Academy formed coalitions with other members of the music ecosystem to send a united call regarding the importance of music-friendly legislation. Keith Kupferschmid, President and CEO of the Copyright Alliance, also spoke with Billboard about the importance of coalition-building. "This crisis has brought us together in a way that I haven’t seen before…One bright spot of this very terrible pandemic is that it’s brought all of us together because we know this is about survival, and we only survive if we can all band together."

Without these four strategic pillars, the latest COVID relief package was at risk of leaving music creators behind. The Academy’s strategy proved to be effective in delivering much needed aid, but the team will continue the drum beat for creator-friendly legislation in the near future. As the Biden Administration and Congress begin outlining the next COVID relief package, the Academy plans to activate these strategic pillars to again give a voice to the needs of struggling creators, including a call to pass the HITS Act, strengthen unemployment insurance to better serve gig workers and mixed earners, and expand business grants, among others. On behalf of the Academy, thank you to our members who helped secure these much needed relief programs for the music community!

Read the full article in Billboard. 

Bipartisan Package Brings New COVID Relief And More

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GRAMMY Advocacy

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Mechanical Licensing Collective Officially Launches

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On Jan. 1, 2021, the MLC began administering the new blanket mechanical licenses for streaming and download services, a welcomed development for music creators
Matthew Bango
Advocacy
Jan 7, 2021 - 10:18 am

The Mechanical Licensing Collective has officially started to collect mechanical royalties! Established as part of the landmark Music Modernization Act (MMA) of 2018, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) was designed with songwriters, composers, publishers, and lyricists in mind, many of whom previously faced issues collecting their entitled mechanical royalty payments from digital streaming services. 

On January 1, 2021, the MLC started to remedy these issues by officially administering new blanket mechanical licenses for streaming and download services. Other royalties are not affected and will continue to be distributed in the same manner—such as through an existing PRO for a songwriter's performance royalties. Self-administered and independent songwriters who register their works through the Collective's portal can expect to receive their first payment later this spring. For songwriters or composers signed with a publisher or working with a rights administrator, be sure to check with them to ensure that all of your works are properly registered with the MLC.

This collection service will continue to regularly distribute these royalties at no cost to creators. The MLC's $62 million budget is funded by the streaming services, as required by the MMA. And the MLC will also launch a comprehensive public musical works database to ensure transparency and accuracy.

While the Collective has only recently started to collect mechanical royalties from these services, the launch of this impactful tool is the result of years of advocacy, negotiations, and preparation. The Recording Academy played an instrumental role in drafting the MMA and pushed policymakers to remedy this chronic issue on behalf of songwriters.

Recently, the Recording Academy hosted a webinar to explain how the service will help creators and address questions about eligibility and registration. The panel was moderated by the Recording Academy's Chief Advocacy Officer Daryl Friedman and featured Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr., MLC CEO Kris Ahrend, and songwriter and GRAMMY nominee Tayla Parx.

Visit the MLC's website to learn more about this game-changing tool.

5 Key Quotes From The Mechanical Licensing Collective Webinar

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Lawmakers and the Academy celebrate together
Photo: Recording Academy

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Successful Year for GRAMMY Advocacy Culminates at Celebration in New DC HQ

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A bipartisan bash brought together music's creators and top lawmakers at our new Advocacy offices in the nation's capital
Philip Merrill
Advocacy
Dec 19, 2018 - 4:09 pm

The Recording Academy's hard work on Capitol Hill has paid off in 2018 with real progress, and the time to celebrate has come! On Dec. 12, the GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, Julia Michaels, joined the GRAMMY Advocacy staff, lawmakers, Congressional staff and stakeholder groups—over 200 guests in total—for a holiday open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Recording Academy's new offices in downtown Washington, D.C. The new space is intended to be a home for Academy members visiting the nation’s capital, and help better unite the policy community—in bipartisan fashion—with the music creator community.

Julia Michaels at the GRAMMY Advocacy open house.

“I want to thank the Recording Academy for being here in DC to represent those of us who make music” --GRAMMY nominee Julia Michaels at the GRAMMY Advocacy open house.

This special unity was on display throughout last week’s celebration, including during the official ribbon cutting ceremony that brought together musicians like Michaels and Academy Trustee and singer/songwriter Tracy Hamlin with lawmakers Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). Hoyer, who was recently elected Majority Leader for the 116th Congress, addressed the crowd praising the Academy for its efforts and successes in Washington.

Earlier in the festivities, Michaels had a bipartisan visit with Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.). McCarthy will be the top Republican in the House next Congress and continue to serve alongside the aforementioned Hoyer as co-chairs of the Recording Arts and Sciences Congressional Caucus. Their bipartisan partnership on behalf of music led to 2018's historic victory when the Music Modernization Act was signed into law after having unanimously passed Congress.

Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), and Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) also joined in to celebrate with us. D.C.-based producer, engineer and songwriter—and recent GRAMMY nominee—Matt Squire entertained the crowd on Pro Tools, demonstrating how a song is brought to life as a recording, from start to finish. Michaels also addressed the importance of what happens after that, bringing the creative process full circle in context for the crowd.

The year of progress we've had and the passage of the Music Modernization Act are so important because the professionals who create the music we all love — the music that unites us — have to make a living to pour their time and talent into their craft successfully. Cheers and more to come in 2019—with a new home in D.C.!

GRAMMY Advocacy In Action: The Music Modernization Act & Beyond