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Advocacy Day Unites Artists, Lawmakers

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THE GRAMMYs
Recording Academy
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

  

GRAMMYs on the Hill provides a day of music advocacy and a celebration of the art

 

GRAMMY.com

 

The Recording Academy hosted its annual GRAMMYs on the Hill music advocacy day, which connects music makers and members of Congress, on Sept. 6 in Washington, D.C. This year's activities included a unique recording session on Capitol Hill with two-time GRAMMY winner and What's The Download Honorary Board member Kelly Clarkson and members of Congress, and an evening gala honoring Clarkson, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.).

 

Recording Academy Vice Chairman Jimmy Jam served as the narrator of the first-ever recording session on Capitol Hill, explaining the steps for creating a master recording to lawmakers and guests in attendance. Songwriters Aben Eubanks and Jimmy Messer, who co-wrote Clarkson's "Maybe," spoke with the audience about the song and the songwriting process before the pop songstress joined them onstage to perform it.

 

After the basic track was complete, a backup team of House members joined in to lay down percussion and finger-snaps.

 

Later that evening, Clarkson, Feinstein, Foley and the Brooklyn Center (Ill.) Junior/Senior High School music departments were feted at the GRAMMYs on the Hill tribute and dinner hosted at the Willard Hotel. Los Angeles Chapter Governor/producer Randy Jackson co-hosted the event with award-winning entertainment reporter Shaun Robinson.

 

During his keynote speech at the dinner, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow called for a "truce" in the ongoing disagreements between the consumer electronics and copyright industries, and outlined a new vision for mutual cooperation.

 

"How did these two mutually dependent industries become entangled in what author Howard Rheingold called 'the war over innovation?' Or more importantly, how can we become disentangled?" asked Portnow. "Well, if we really are in the midst of 'a war over innovation,' then it is time for a truce. A Music & Technology Truce."

 

Before an audience consisting of the top executives from nearly every music association in the country (AFM, AFTRA, ASCAP, BMI, NARM, NMPA, RAC, RIAA, SESAC and SoundExchange, among others) and numerous members of Congress, Portnow encouraged the audience to end the "zero-sum game" between the two industries. He concluded his remarks by a challenge to the two industries' leaders "to prove that we can be both pro-copyright and pro-technology. Let the truce begin."

 

The Academy's first initiative will be to hold a major Music & Technology Summit at its Santa Monica headquarters, inviting leaders from both industries in a first-ever meeting to find common ground.

 

Please click here for the full text of Portnow's speech.

 

GRAMMYs

Photo: Andras Polonyi / EyeEm

News

Recording Academy Champions The HITS Act, Which Supports Independent Music Makers’ Recovery

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The Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act lets creators fully expense production costs for new music up-front to stimulate reopening of the music economy
Advocacy
Jul 31, 2020 - 7:00 am

Today, the Recording Academy joined Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) to announce the Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act, which allows an individual to fully expense for tax purposes the cost of new studio recordings on their taxes, up to $150,000, within the same year of production.

Music creators are among the American workers hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Tours are cancelled, venues, bars, and restaurants are shuttered, and recording studios remain closed. As independent artists and producers look for a new path forward, the HITS Act creates a foothold for recovery. Without it, the costs of making new music may be prohibitive to creators following months of lost income.

"The Recording Academy is proud to have worked alongside Reps. Sánchez and Estes to develop the key provisions in the HITS Act," said Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "The HITS Act will make a meaningful impact and help ease the financial burden for thousands of independent creators getting back on track, eager to share their creativity with the world. It will inspire new music and create opportunities for many of the vulnerable professionals in our community to persevere during these uncertain times."

Currently, individual recording artists and record producers are required to amortize production expenses for tax purposes over the economic life of a sound recording, typically 3-4 years. The HITS Act allows artists and producers to choose to deduct 100 percent of their production expenses for records created in the United States in the year such expenses are incurred, in the same manner that qualified film and television production expenses are allowed to be expensed. Expenses can include studio equipment, studio rental fees, staff costs, electricity, studio musicians, and much more.

"We are living through tough times and nothing helps you escape like turning on your favorite album," said Rep. Sánchez. "Similar to many families and workers across the country, the coronavirus has also had an enormous impact on music makers. Gigs have been canceled, studios shuttered, and creative writing sessions postponed. I'm proud to introduce the HITS Act with Rep. Estes. Our bill will provide small, independent creators with a bit of help getting back to work, making the music we turn to in good times and bad."

"Music is a powerful language that connects people of varying generations, backgrounds and experiences," said Rep. Estes. "The men and women who make music — either through writing, singing, playing or producing — deserve to have the same tax benefits as artists in the film, television and live theater industries. The HITS Act is sound legislation that supports our creative communities throughout the United States and encourages music makers of all sizes and notoriety."

Many music creators watched their incomes disappear as the pandemic ushered in a new normal of closures and cancellations. The median income for a professional musician is less than $25,000 a year, and independent music professionals will be among the last to return to work as the nation gradually reopens. As the only organization representing all music creators, the Recording Academy will continue to support government assistance that will help music creators navigate their way through this unprecedented time and subsequent recovery period.

Academy Endorses New Legislation To Support Creators, Venues & Small Music Businesses

News

Roll Call Commentary: "Turning Up The Volume On Music Issues"

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Daryl Friedman
Recording Academy
Jun 21, 2017 - 8:14 am

When you think of the great music cities of America, what comes to mind? Los Angeles? Nashville? New York City? Brookside, Rhode Island?

If the last one was a surprise, it shouldn’t be. Nor should hearing about the great music being made in Shullsburg, Wisconsin; Park City, Utah; or Farmington Hills, Michigan. Because in all of those towns, people are making great music — and they’re expecting their elected leaders to protect their intellectual property. ...

You can read the rest of Daryl P. Friedman's commentary in Roll Call, "Turning Up The Volume on Music Issues," about the creators' rights issues championed by Academy members during GRAMMYs in My District here.

   

News

Academy, RAC Announce Alliance

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THE GRAMMYs
Recording Academy
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

Academy to unite with Recording Artists' Coalition in an effort to amplify artists rights in Washington

GRAMMY.com

(For a complete list of 51st GRAMMY Awards nominees, please click here.)

The Recording Artists' Coalition announced today an alliance with The Recording Academy that will allow it to continue its mission of advocacy for recording artists as a program of The Recording Academy, rather than as a separate nonprofit organization. The announcement was made by Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow and RAC board member Irving Azoff.

RAC will become an integral program of The Academy's GRAMMYs on the Hill Initiative, which advances the rights of music creators through advocacy, education and dialogue.

"In a constantly changing music industry landscape, protection of music creators is more important now than ever," said Portnow. "RAC and The Academy's Advocacy department have worked together closely over the years on behalf of music professionals, and it makes perfect sense at this time to combine our efforts in the service of creators' rights."

"RAC's mission is critical to the well-being of artists, and we know it will continue to be well served by Neil's and The Academy's unwavering commitment to artists' rights," added Azoff. "Instead of functioning as two separate organizations with very similar missions, this alliance will allow us to streamline our operations and put our resources solely into advancing creators' rights."

The alliance will be effective immediately to coincide with the beginning of the 111th Congress and the Obama administration. The first objective of the GRAMMYs on the Hill/RAC program will be to educate new and returning policy makers about the critical issues facing music creators and the need to ensure fair compensation for all music creators on all platforms.

RAC was founded in 2000 by Don Henley and Sheryl Crow to address legislative issues that affect the recording artist community. On behalf of its membership of more than 150 recording artists, RAC has addressed issues such as artist contract reform, media consolidation and artist compensation. Henley, Crow, and RAC board members Jay Cooper and Simon Renshaw have testified on Capitol Hill on behalf of artists, and the organization has been at the forefront of numerous policy and regulatory matters affecting music creators. Azoff and Renshaw will serve as advisors to The Academy's RAC program. Former RAC National Director Rebecca Greenberg has moved to a senior position reporting to Azoff at Ticketmaster Entertainment and Front Line Management.

The Academy opened its Washington, D.C., office in 1998 and has since launched numerous programs to advance music makers' rights, including the music community's only annual grassroots lobbying day in Washington, D.C. Academy leaders are frequently called upon to testify before Congress and to educate and advance critical music policy. For more information on Advocacy & Government Relations at The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com/advocacy.

News

Recording Academy Produces First Recording Arts Day

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Music community unites on Capitol Hill; GRAMMYs on the Hill tops off event
THE GRAMMYs
Recording Academy
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

The message of the important role the music community plays in the nation's culture and economy was brought to Washington on Sept. 7 by more than 100 music professionals at Recording Arts Day on Capitol Hill, produced by The Recording Academy and hosted by more than 20 music organizations. Leading musicians, songwriters, producers and others representing every interest in the industry were involved in the event.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, the musicians also noted the outpouring of support by the music community, capped by an announcement from Academy and MusiCares President Neil Portnow noting the two organizations' contribution of $1 million to help music people affected by the events.

While announcing the contribution, Portnow also noted the important role of the region in the nation's musical life. "American music is Southern music - blues, jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, country, and rock and roll. The deepest roots of all these and more can be found in that golden triangle - the area that has been hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. The events of last week have dealt a catastrophic blow to this region, its history, and its music community."

The day consisted of numerous briefings by members of Congress, such as Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), more than 25 breakout meetings with individual members of Congress, and a special "Power of Music" event, hosted by the GRAMMY Foundation and Recording Arts And Sciences Congressional Caucus. At the event, recording artist Gloria Estefan mentored young music students who performed for the distinguished audience of artists and congresspeople. The event closed with a special jam session by the Congressional GRAMMY Band: artists, students and members of Congress, performing Estefan's hit, "Reach."

Recording Arts Day closed with GRAMMYs on the Hill, an event honoring Estefan, Sen. Lamar Alexander, Rep. Hoyer and GRAMMY Foundation Signature School, Danville High School. Honoring the legislators were their friends, songwriter Richard Leigh ("Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue") and Crystal Gayle, who made the song a hit. Estefan was serenaded by her friend and fellow artist, Jon Secada. Other presenters included hit producers Jimmy Jam and Desmond Child, GRAMMY-nominated sax player Dave Koz, and Paul Corbin of BMI, the event's lead sponsor.

Portnow used his keynote address at GRAMMYs on the Hill to discuss the new spirit of unity in the music industry, and encouraged the industry leaders assembled to continue that spirit to solve industry issues. [read the entire address here]

Joining the Recording Arts Day message promoting the important role of music in America were host organizations representing every facet of the music industry, including artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, labels, publishers, distributors and music managers. Host organizations included: A2IM; American Federation of Musicians; American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; BMI; Church Music Publishers Association; Digital Media Association; Gospel Music Association; GRAMMY Foundation; Harry Fox Agency; Jazz Alliance International Inc.; Music Managers Forum - US; National Association of Recording Merchandisers; National Music Publishers' Association; Producers & Engineers Wing; R&B Foundation; Recording Artists' Coalition; Recording Industry Association of America; SESAC, Songwriters Guild of America; and SoundExchange.

The success of the first Recording Arts Day on Capitol Hill assured that this will become an annual event each fall to raise the profile of the music community among the nation's elected leadership.

(Read Mary Bono’s (R-Calif.) entry into the Congressional Record on behalf of Recording Arts Day here.)