Montana Miller is the Executive Assistant for the Advocacy and Public Policy Office at the Recording Academy. Prior to the Recording Academy, she was Deputy Director of Scheduling for Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Montana graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Law, Society, and Justice. As a former dancer for 16 years, her passion for the arts has continued into her career.
As 2024 gets underway, the Recording Academy is taking a moment to look back on the many advocacy accomplishments achieved in 2023. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the dedication and help of our Recording Academy members. Thanks to them, the past year was filled with meaningful change that will impact the music community for years to come.…
The week of Dec. 4, 2023, will go down as one of the most momentous weeks in the history of the live events industry, and not because of any record-breaking tour or major sporting event. Instead, the action took place on Capitol Hill, where bipartisan lawmakers took two important steps to systemically reform and regulate the live event ticket marketplace.…
On Aug. 21st, Recording Academy members of the Texas Chapter — which encompasses both Texas and Oklahoma — headed to Oklahoma City to meet with state government officials to build up the relationship between the Oklahoma music community and state leaders. In attendance with the Recording Academy were Taylor Hanson, Texas Chapter President and GRAMMY Nominee Kitt Wakeley, Texas Advocacy…
After a yearslong process, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has officially published their determination on Phonorecords III — meaning songwriters will start to receive back pay on royalties they were owed from 2018-2022. As the Recording Academy covered earlier this year, the CRB announced a confirmation of the mechanical royalty rate increase from 10.5% to 15.1% for the Phonorecords III…
The Recording Academy's District Advocate Day is returning on Thursday, October 5th. District Advocate Day, the largest grassroots advocacy movement for music and its makers, gives Recording Academy members an opportunity to visit the local district offices of their elected members of Congress and discuss the pressing issues facing the music community. Last year, almost 2,000 Recording Academy members participated…
On August 1, with the enactment of the Restoring Artistic Protection Act (HB 475), Louisiana became the second state in the nation to enact a law that protects a creator’s right to artistic expression by limiting the use of creative works, such as lyrics, as evidence in criminal court cases. Since the bill’s introduction in March, the Recording Academy has…
With the 50th anniversary of hip-hop coming up on Aug. 11, the Recording Academy has been celebrating one of music's most popular genres all year long. This past week, the U.S. Congress honored this important anniversary with resolutions in both the House and Senate officially recognizing the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced…
As we head into the thick of summer and Congress prepares for the more relaxed pace of August recess, there is one conversation that is unlikely to slow down anytime soon — that of artificial intelligence. Conversations surrounding the rapidly emerging technology are continuing across the country, and Capitol Hill is no different. On Weds. July 12th, the Senate Judiciary…
On June 27, members of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a field hearing in Nashville to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the passage of the Music Modernization Act (MMA) and examine the law's effectiveness. In preparation for the hearing, the Recording Academy made sure that creators were well represented with Recording Academy…
On Tues. Jun. 13, the White House held its first ever Juneteenth Concert, commemorating emancipation in America — and the two-year anniversary of Juneteeth's institution as a federal holiday. The Recording Academy's Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Ryan Butler, worked closely with White House staff to build the event including helping to secure GRAMMY Winner and 14-time GRAMMY…
Over the course of April and May, the United States Copyright Office (USCO) held virtual listening sessions on the use of artificial intelligence in various creative industries. The aim of these listening sessions was to hear directly from those who are involved in and represent various creative fields so that both the USCO and the listeners can gain an understanding…
In a long-awaited and long-delayed decision, songwriters have received a monumental victory from the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which finally confirmed the royalty rate increase for the 2018-2022 period. And that means that many songwriters could soon see a retroactive bonus in royalty backpay. Last week, the CRB released an official confirmation of the mechanical royalty rate increase for the…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be on everyone's mind these days — and last week, both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees held hearings on the controversial and game-changing tech. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Oversight of A.I.: Rules for Artificial Intelligence" took place on Tues. May 16th; the House Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property:…
On Thurs. April 27th, the Recording Academy took to Capitol Hill alongside GRAMMY winners and nominees to advocate for creators' rights. Throughout the day, the group met with nearly 40 congressional offices to raise awareness and gain support for the issues facing music makers across America. The Recording Academy concluded the Advocacy Day by joining Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) and…
In less than two weeks, the Recording Academy will be hosting GRAMMYs On The Hill to celebrate supporters of the music community and fight for creators' rights on Capitol Hill. During GRAMMYs On The Hill, the Recording Academy and its artist advocates will be pushing for support on a number of issues that will protect music makers, but one issue…
The Recording Academy's Annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards and Advocacy Day will be returning to Washington D.C. on Apr. 26-27, 2023 to honor those who have gone above and beyond in their support of the music community. This year, the Recording Academy will be honoring 13-time GRAMMY Winner Pharrell Williams, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bill Cassidy,…
AI is rapidly becoming the topic of conversation in almost every industry. Although there are still many unknowns about the lasting impact it will have on the music community, the Recording Academy is engaging with policy makers like the United States Copyright Office to ensure human creativity is always at the forefront of copyright policy. On Mar. 22, the Recording…
Earlier this month, the Recording Academy Advocacy Team spent International Women's Day with Songwriter, Producer and Recording Artist, Caitlyn Smith and her team — giving them an inside look to their experiences as women in the music industry. The team started the day with a visit from Smith and Casey Thomas, Monument Record's Director of Publicity and Creative, at the…
The Recording Academy has partnered with other stakeholders in the music community, including SAG-AFTRA, RIAA, SoundExchange, and NMPA, to protect human art and creativity as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop by launching the Human Artistry CampAIgn. Today, the coalition hosted a panel at South by Southwest titled "Welcome to the Machine: Art in the Age of A.I." Therein, music…
Earlier today, the Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act was reintroduced to Congress in a bipartisan and bicameral way by Representatives Ron Estes (R-KS) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). This bill, which the Recording Academy helped craft, would modify current U.S. tax law to allow independent artists to deduct 100% of their…
