Legal

Music Industry Raises Voice in Support of Senate MMA

Music Industry Raises Voice in Support of Senate MMA

The introduction of the Music Modernization Act (S. 2823) in the Senate was indeed music to the record industry’s ears, raising a chorus of support. Among those to lend positive comments: Steve Bogard, Nashville Songwriters Association International President “The Music Modernization Act, Classics Act and AMP Act will together create the most comprehensive and important copyright […]

Music Modernization Hatched in Senate

Music Modernization Hatched in Senate

Continuing the music law reform momentum started in the House last month, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the Music Modernization Act in the Senate today. Realizing the hopes of the recording industry, the Senate bill, S.2823, was identical to that passed by a 415-0 vote in the House last month, which should greatly streamline it’s passage. […]

Israelite Unpacks Copyright for PMC

Israelite Unpacks Copyright for PMC

David Israelite is president and CEO of the National Music Publishers Association, a trade group representing American music publishers and songwriters. Read the complete text of his keynote address at the Production Music Conference here. The NMPA‘s stated mission is “to protect, promote, and advance the interests of music’s creators” by safeguarding members’ property rights on […]

‘Fair Play’ Gains Momentum on Hill

‘Fair Play’ Gains Momentum on Hill

The addition of 15 bi-partisan co-sponsors to the “Fair Play Fair Pay Act,” H.R. 1836, has managed to create a sense of momentum for the music rights bill, which some feared would be lost amidst the storm of Russian intrigue and eco-unrest on Capitol Hill. Recording Academy Chief Industry, Government & Member Relations Officer Daryl Friedman said […]

Cooper in SESAC Spotlight

Cooper in SESAC Spotlight

The industry’s most musical attorney, jazzman Jay L. Cooper, will receive the SESAC Visionary Award at the music rights organization’s annual dinner gala this evening in Santa Monica. For more than five decades, Jay Cooper has been recognized as one of the best entertainment lawyers in America, and it is simply an honor to present […]

Activism Key to Songwriter Regulation Reform, Says ASCAP

Activism Key to Songwriter Regulation Reform, Says ASCAP

  ASCAP President Paul Williams led a bipartisan effort to to galvanize songwriters in a battle for regulatory reform, while representatives Karen Bass (D-CA) and Doug Collins (R-GA) urged the audience at the April 14 panel discussion “Music Licensing Reform: Fight For Your Rights” to do just that. “If you’re so passionate about writing your music, […]

Credits a Luxury in Digital Age

Credits a Luxury in Digital Age

Earning a fair wage was the running theme at the ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo, where the transition to streaming and digital left many songwriters feeling their legacies being blown away like so much dust in the wind. “Little by little, our names are being erased from existence,” said songwriter and producer Desmond Child, whose work has been […]

African Drums and the Legal Beat

African Drums and the Legal Beat

Native drums have long been associated with Africa’s cultural roots, integral to the daily life and rituals of many communities. Their repercussions have spread worldwide, providing the launchpad for a multitude of music styles from jazz to rock and roll, which influence is widely recognized. Less known is the disruptive effect of colonial drumming regulation as […]

Duran Duran Hungry to Reclaim Copyright

Duran Duran Hungry to Reclaim Copyright

Duran Duran is embarking on an international litigation adventure that will have ramifications for U.K. music artists with U.S. publishing interests. The ’80s super group seeks to take advantage of a standard provision under stateside law that allows authors or their heirs to reclaim copyright after 35 years of third-party exploitation. The catch is, the group is based […]