Anderson. Paak Malibu Credit Cover
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Behind The Record: Your Favorite Artists #GiveCredit Where It's Due

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Artists took to social media to #GiveCredit on Oct. 25 with detailed Credit Covers for fans to explore
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 28, 2019 - 4:50 pm

Last Friday, on Oct. 25, Behind the Record launched, and in doing so, acknowledged countless creatives behind your favorite records. 

Tons of artists showed up for the conversation, sharing Credit Covers highlighting the names of professionals who worked on all kinds of songs and albums.

For starters, L.A.-based producer/DJ TOKiMONSTA shared the Credit Cover for her track "I Wish I Could," featuring Belgian singer/songwriter Selah Sue on vocals, from her GRAMMY-nominated 2017 album Lune Rogue. She wrote: "Everyone on a track deserves to be recognized. A big thank you to everyone who works #BehindTheRecord."

More: Artists: Find Out How To #GiveCredit & Celebrate Your Collaborators Today!

2019 GRAMMY host Alicia Keys also posted for her latest single, "Show Me Love" featuring Miguel, along with a powerful message: "One of my favorite things about making music is the collaboration process and everyone bringing their beautiful spirits and expertise to the process! It's an honor to have created magic with you on 'Show Me Love'!! Big Love to all the people #behindtherecord you're amazing and I'm grateful to you for rockin' with me. I'm here to #givecredit."

With Credit Covers, you can you can discover the instrumentalists, producers, mixers, engineers and whoever else made helped song that much more memorable and powerful. Did you know that the guitars on "Show Me Love" were performed by GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Raphael Saadiq and producer/songwriter Morgan Matthews (who also co-produced and co-wrote the track with Keys)?

"Proper crediting, at its core, is about a reverence for creativity and the incongruous ways in which it moves through creators. As technology continues to change at a rapid rate, we must be prepared to redefine the ways in which we recognize and define creative roles in order to create a more diverse and inclusive industry. We must be prepared to leave behind precedent in favor of a true recognition of modern authorship." - Maggie Rogers

Below, explore the collaborators on two GRAMMY winners' albums: H.E.R.'s 2019 EP, I Used To Know H.E.R., and Brandi Carlile's By The Way, I Forgive You. GRAMMY-nominated electro-pop duo SOFI TUKKER shared the cover for their fun new single, "Purple Hat," and the GRAMMY-nominated Jonas Brothers celebrated their co-creators behind Happiness Begins.

 
 
 

"We make music in the spirit of fun and collaboration and it's important to us that that spirit stays alive from the making of the track into its whole lifespan. Plus, it’s just fair. If someone helps make a song, they deserve to be credited. We usually make songs with our friends and it's so fun to be able to share the joy of releasing a song with people we love." - SOFI TUKKER

Nigerian Afropop queen Yemi Alade shared the credit cover for her 2019 album, Woman of Steel, and GRAMMY-winning alt-rockers The Black Keys shared one for their 2019 LP, Let's Rock. GRAMMY-winning country group Little Big Town celebrated all the hands behind the scenes on "Over Drinking," while EDM DJ/producer Marshmello did the same for his track "Happier" featuring Bastille.

 
 
 

GRAMMY-winning disco queen Gloria Gaynor thanked the collaborators on her 2019 gospel album, Testimony. GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-winning Puerto Rican singer/activist iLe shared the Credit Cover for her 2019 album, Almadura, while GRAMMY-winning experimental jazz artist Esperanza Spaulding gave thanks for everyone who helped her with her 2018 LP, Twelve Little Spells.

 
 

Make sure to visit behindtherecord.grammy.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop on Behind the Record updates and other great behind-the-music content. You can also search the hashtags #GiveCredit, #BehindTheRecord and #WeAreMusic to join in on the global conversation.  

We are beyond grateful to all the artists and partners who have helped make this dream project a reality, to help give credit where it's due; thank you to everyone who has participated so far.

If you are an artist and want to make your own Credit Cover and have not yet; please check out the instructions here and visit behindtherecord.grammy.com/creditcovers.

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Mixing desk inside Nevo Sound Studios in London

Mixing desk inside Nevo Sound Studios in London

Photo: Rob Monk/Future Music Magazine/Future via Getty Images

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The Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing Shares List Of Safety Measures For Studios Preparing To Reopen

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The safety measures, which were compiled through interviews and conversations with recording studio owners, engineers and other professionals around the country, cover a range of concerns and precautions related to limiting the spread of the coronavirus
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
May 30, 2020 - 2:25 pm

The Producers & Engineers Wing, a membership division of the Recording Academy that focuses on the technical and professional matters of the recording industry, has released a detailed list of potential safety measures for studio owners, engineers and other recording professionals looking to reopen their physical locations and recording studios. 

The safety recommendations come as states across the country are beginning to reopen and physical business locations are starting to welcome customers through their doors once again after the coronavirus pandemic shut down many U.S. regions and severely shuttered the international live concert and events industry. 

The safety measures, which were compiled through interviews and conversations with recording studio owners, engineers and other professionals around the country, cover a range of concerns and precautions related to limiting the spread of the coronavirus in a studio setting, including: social distancing in recording studios, complexes and rooms; protective gear, like face coverings and disposable gloves; limitations to studio access, control rooms and/or performance spaces for personnel and visitors; routine cleaning and disinfections of frequently touched surfaces, such as workstations, and commonly used and shared equipment, like microphones; and more. 

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

In a letter accompanying the list of safety measures, Maureen Droney, Sr. Managing Director for the Producers & Engineers Wing, addressed the ongoing challenges and effects the recording industry faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The Producers & Engineers Wing, like its membership, is resilient," she wrote in the intro letter. "The Wing has been a resource for the recording community for nearly 20 years, and will continue its work with you long after this crisis has passed. We hope this information is helpful, and wish you and your loved ones good health and safety as we navigate this crisis. 

"Knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly evolving, and, as always, we are open to, and grateful for, comments and suggestions from others in our recording community, so please feel free to contact us at pe.wing@recordingacademy.com."

The letter also recommends those looking to reopen their studios and physical locations to regularly consult the guidance provided by national, state and local government agencies, including the guidance for businesses and employers from the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC). 

David Messier, owner of Same Sky Productions, a recording studio in Austin, Texas, and Leslie Richter, a Nashville-based engineer, instigated this project, which also included thoughts and suggestions from Ivan Barias, Ann Mincieli, Michael Abbott and many others. 

The list of potential safety measures, the names of the project's contributors and Maureen Droney's letter are available in full on the Recording Academy's website.

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Pandora

Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Getty Images

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Pandora Supports Behind The Record, Launches Full Song Credits

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The streaming service announces a brand-new full credits feature for millions of songs in their massive library and supports the Recording Academy initiative to #GiveCredit
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 24, 2019 - 2:53 pm

Today, Oct. 24, the Recording Academy announced the new Behind the Record social media initiative to highlight all creators behind the music. Concurrently, Pandora, a supporter of the program, has launched a new full credits feature for millions of songs on their streaming platform.

When listening to a song on Pandora, users can now dig deeper into it by clicking on the title, followed by the "See All Song Credits" link. This exciting new service is up and running on their web player and new desktop app.

"You always have to give credit where it's due! Songwriters and producers put their heart into what they create! And to know who it comes from makes it even more special and personal," GRAMMY winner H.E.R. told Pandora.

Back in July, TIDAL, another supporter of Behind the Record, launched TIDAL Credits. Users of their music streaming platform, can now dig into artists' pages and explore all their credits, as a performer, songwriter, producer and more.

You can now dig into this credit treasure troves on both Pandora and TIDAL. Visit behindtherecord.grammy.com to learn more about Behind the Record, and use the Credit Cover generator if you're an artist.

And don't forget to join the conversation by sharing and searching social media using #GiveCredit, #WeAreMusic and #BehindTheRecord, starting tomorrow, Oct. 25.

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GRAMMYs

Bandcamp app

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Bandcamp Shares List Highlighting Labels And Artists Donating To Organizations Supporting Racial Justice And Change

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Many Bandcamp users are donating their revenue shares to organizations like Black Lives Matter, Racial Justice Network, National Bail Fund Network and more
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jun 4, 2020 - 2:44 pm

On Friday (June 5), from midnight to midnight PST, online music store Bandcamp is waiving its share of sales as part of its ongoing initiative to support artists impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach, which the company launched in March, allows record labels, artists and creators to earn 100 percent of each sale made via the Bandcamp platform, as Pitchfork reports.

The campaign has inspired many artists and labels to create and offer special releases and products for the upcoming event this week, with many Bandcamp users donating their revenue shares to organizations supporting racial justice, bail funds and coronavirus-related reliefs.

To highlight some of these initiatives, Bandcamp has published a list of artists and labels making such donations along with the organizations and causes they are supporting. 

Some of the highlighted companies and artists include: Arrowhawk Records, which is donating to Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement and Portland Freedom Fund & National Bail Out; Canadian doom rock band Astral Witch, which is donating to National Bail Fund Network; record label Deathbomb Arc, which is donating to Black Lives Matter and bail funds; and many others. 

The lengthy list follows Bandcamp's announcement this week (June 1) that in honor of this year's Juneteenth holiday (June 19), as well as all subsequent Juneteenth holidays, the company will be donating 100 percent of its sales share gained that day to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Bandcamp will also allocate an additional $30,000 per year "to partner with organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color," according to the company's website. 

Read: The Music Industry Calls For "Black Out Tuesday" In Response To The Death Of George Floyd

In a post announcing the donation campaign, Bandcamp addressed the ongoing social unrest and protests happening nationwide in response to the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other black U.S. citizens. 

"The current moment is part of a long-standing, widespread, and entrenched system of structural oppression of people of color, and real progress requires a sustained and sincere commitment to political, social, and economic racial justice and change," the post reads. "We'll continue to promote diversity and opportunity through our mission to support artists, the products we build to empower them, who we promote through the Bandcamp Daily, our relationships with local artists and organizations through our Oakland space, how we operate as a team, and who and how we hire."

Since mid-March, when the coronavirus pandemic began to severely impact the music industry and virtually shut down the global concert business, Bandcamp has launched several relief initiatives to support artists and creators impacted by the crisis. 

After Bandcamp introduced its campaign to waive its revenue shares on all sales in March, artists and creators earned $4.3 million via the platform. Bandcamp continued the campaign in May and will keep it active through July.

"We know our fan community cares deeply about supporting artists in general," Bandcamp COO Josh Kim told the Recording Academy this month. "Even before March 20th we were already seeing huge numbers of fans use Bandcamp to support artists who were seeing tours canceled. So we wanted to highlight that even more and engage as an entire community, and also encourage more fans to continue supporting artists until things are recovered."

"It sounds simple," he continued, "but we've always believed that the best way to support artists is to buy their music and merch directly."

How Bandcamp's Fee Waiver Days Are Supporting Musicians In The Pandemic

ASCAP Experience: Home Edition logo

ASCAP Experience: Home Edition logo

Courtesy Photo: ASCAP

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ASCAP Announces ASCAP Experience: Home Edition Virtual Conference: Shaggy, Whitney Phillips, Gian Stone, Priscilla Renea And More Confirmed

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The free, weekly online series, which will take place every Thursday starting May 28 through the end of July, will focus on real-time music industry topics and will feature hit songwriters, producers and special guests
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
May 22, 2020 - 12:03 pm

Performance-rights organization (PRO) ASCAP is taking the ASCAP Experience, its premier music industry conference, online this year. Rebranded as the ASCAP Experience: Home Edition, the annual conference will be reformatted as a free virtual event beginning May 28 and continuing weekly as a long-term initiative.

The online series, which will take place every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. EST through the end of July, launches next week with conversations and sessions featuring: two-time GRAMMY winner Shaggy alongside his manager and Cherrytree Records founder Martin Kierszenbaum; songwriters Whitney Phillips and Gian Stone, who will discuss "Stuck With U," the chart-topping super-collaboration from Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber; hit songwriter Priscilla Renea; and others. ASCAP Chairman and President Paul Williams will kick off the event with a special welcome message. 

Future programming—which will focus on real-time topics including monetization, music publishing and mental and physical wellness and will feature songwriters, producers, music publishers and members of the ASCAP team, among other issues and special guests—will be announced in the coming weeks. Most programming will be available on-demand after each session for those unavailable to attend the live webcast.

Read: WATCH LIST: Online Concerts From BTS To COASTCITY To Catch During Coronavirus Quarantine

ASCAP Experience 2020, which was to mark the event's 15th installment, was originally scheduled to take place last month (April 1-3) in Los Angeles. The event was canceled in March due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Previously known as the ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, the conference rebranded as ASCAP Experience last September; the 2020 installment was to be the first edition under the new ASCAP Experience banner.

Head to the ASCAP Experience: Home Edition website to view the full programming for each week and to register for the ongoing event. Registration is free and open to the public, "regardless of which performing rights organization they belong to," according to a press release announcing the event. 

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