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(L-R) Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones attend the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards 2022 at The Hamilton on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

(L-R) Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones

Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

News
Advocacy Day 2022: Music Creators Take To Capitol grammys-hill-advocacy-day-2022-capitol-hill-music-creators-washington-dc

Music Creators Take To Capitol Hill At The Recording Academy's GRAMMYs On The Hill Advocacy Day 2022

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Following the 20th anniversary of the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards, GRAMMY winners and nominees meet today with representatives to protect music creators
Advocacy
Apr 28, 2022 - 6:06 am

Today, music creators and GRAMMY winners and nominees from across the country will meet with representatives on Capitol Hill in support of legislation to protect and ensure fair treatment as the music community continues to recover from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This effort comes on the morning after the 20th anniversary of the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards, Washington, D.C.'s premier annual celebration of music and advocacy, bringing together congressional leaders and music makers to recognize those who have led the fight for creators' rights.

"Over the past two decades of GRAMMYs on the Hill, we've honored legendary creators and congressional leaders moving our industry forward and standing up for working musicians across the country," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "Last night was no exception, though there is still work to be done. As we meet with legislators today, we urge them to join us in support of more equitable solutions that protect the creative community, ensure fair treatment for creators, and harness the power of music to reach across cultures in pursuit of peace."

Benefitting the GRAMMY Museum and sponsored by City National Bank, the Recording Academy's 2022 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards returned to the nation's capital on Wednesday, April 27, recognizing five-time GRAMMY-winning, renowned songwriters and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who have been instrumental in defining the sound of pop music for decades. Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) were also honored for their leadership in supporting the rights of music creators.

Watch: Inside GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Throughout Advocacy Day meetings, creators will urge support for several efforts, including those introduced by this year's congressional honorees. Deutch is the lead Democratic sponsor for the American Music Fairness Act, which, if passed, would pay royalties to artists and producers when their music is played on the radio. McCaul has co-sponsored key legislation like the Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act (HITS Act), which updates the federal tax code to bring in line music production with other industries and create parity.

Together, Deutch and McCaul also introduced the Promoting Peace, Education, and Cultural Exchange (PEACE) through Music Diplomacy Act, an effort crystalized into importance by recent events and showcased in action during the 64th GRAMMY Awards by a powerful performance from three Ukrainian artists, Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newton and Lyuba Yakimchuck, together with GRAMMY winner John Legend.

Another key issue that will be addressed on behalf of songwriters and composers is the fight for fair pay. Later this year, the Copyright Royalty Board will set the royalty rates that streaming services pay to songwriters, and tech companies are once again pushing to cut songwriter pay.

Over the last 20 years, GRAMMYs on the Hill has hosted award-winning artists and applauded congressional leaders alike, including four-time GRAMMY winner Yolanda Adams, then Vice President Joe Biden, two-time GRAMMY winner Garth Brooks, former United States Secretary of State and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), 28-time GRAMMY winner Quincy Jones, seven-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, former Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), four-time GRAMMY winner Missy Elliott, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and more. The annual advocacy event has also led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act in 2018.

How The 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards Brought Joy, Healing & Reverence For Music People

Jimmy Jam & Co 775775104

(L-R) Jimmy Jam, Rep. Ted Deutch, Sofia Carson, Rep. Michael McCaul, and Terry Lewis

Photo: Paul Morigi / Getty Images

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2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards: Recap grammys-on-the-hill-awards-2022-jimmy-jam-terry-lewis-sofia-carson-yolanda-adams-amy-klobuchar-recap

How The 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards Brought Joy, Healing & Reverence For Music People

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Featuring key congresspeople and leading lights in the music community, the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards was in equal parts celebratory and impactful toward the fight for creators' rights for all music people.
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Apr 28, 2022 - 12:21 pm

Just before a performance where Jimmy Jam played an enormous keytar and Sen. Amy Klobuchar playfully shook a maraca, Jam laid down his stone-cold genuine feelings about his chosen artform. "Music is the divine art," he told the crowd at the packed GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 27, as they munched on dinner and dessert and enjoyed an open bar. And he meant it.

"Imagine a life without music," the five-time GRAMMY-winning producer continued. "It would be like breathing without oxygen. It would be like thirst without water. It would be life without the aural sustenance in our souls." Fellow five-time GRAMMY winner Terry Lewis, his decades-long partner who together form the legendary duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who were this year's artist honorees at the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, concurred: "This is the thing that God gave us to pull us together."

This balance between tireless work and divine play — a bunch of musicians jamming out a few blocks away from the hub of U.S. democracy — epitomized the vision of the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, Washington, D.C.'s premier annual celebration of music and advocacy. On the surface, it seemed to simply be musicians having a ball with lawmakers, connecting the spheres of music and politics. But there was nothing at all frivolous or superficial about the intent, as encapsulated in Ledisi's passionate question in her performance: "What can be higher than this?"

Much like MusiCares, the Advocacy division of the Recording Academy is predicated on helping music people in need — in this case, creators and artists who aren't fairly compensated for their labor. This happens to songwriters and music creators, who are regularly financially neglected, too often.

At this year's GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this week, this urgent issue was front and center. 

Watch: Inside GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. is one of music's most vocal advocates for fair compensation for creators. A GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and producer by trade, he knows the inner workings of the music business.

"You have to remember, I'm a songwriter," Mason jr. said in an interview on the red carpet at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. In his experience, he's been paid for his songwriting work. But the landscape is increasingly tilting toward exploitation of his peers. "To get paid $7,000 or $10,000 is not acceptable," he continued. "So that's something I'm very passionate about — in my experience, but also knowing what it takes to be successful."

Other songwriters at the event also echoed this sentiment: Whitney Phillips, Lupita Infante, Emily Warren, Nnenna Freelon, Gramps Morgan, Autumn Rowe, and Emily Bear, the latter three of whom have won GRAMMYs. Although they spoke individually, they came together for a collective higher purpose: a path toward fair treatment and fair compensation for music people, especially after a detrimental pandemic, that can no longer wait. (Gospel singer Yolanda Adams, rappers Bun B and Cordae, gospel group Take 6, and singer/actress Sofia Carson also performed at and/or attended the event.)

"They asked for me to come out here and speak and advocate, and it was a no-brainer for me," Phillips said. "I think what's most frustrating about the songwriter experience is that nobody has known what to do, what to say, who to talk to — what's going to be the most effective way to get this message across that we need to be fairly compensated."

DJs Amira and Kayla performing at GRAMMYs On The Hill

DJs Amira and Kayla performing at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. Photo: Paul Morigi / Getty Images

Infante, the granddaughter of Mexican ranchera legend Pedro Infante, agrees — and this reality compelled her to become a brand-new Advocacy participant. "I think my music genre is a little bit incoming; I do Mexican music, and there's a big community out there," she says. "I think it's important to have that music protected."

Warren, who co-wrote Dua Lipa's GRAMMY-nominated hit "Don't Start Now," initially tried to highlight advocacy for music people via online posts, but she hit a wall. "I think people don't understand what the [pay] rate is for [music] streaming — why it is that way, what the history of that is, and why it's so hard to change," she says. "I think just making it simple and educating people so they know what to ask for and what they deserve [is important]."

Jazz luminary Nnenna Freelon, who was most recently nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 2022 GRAMMYs, boils it down to eternal family lessons. "What did grandma say? 'Actions speak louder than words,'" she says. "Often, people don't think of the material value of the creation as anything that should be compensated," she added, speaking of the often-invisible role of the songwriter.

Reggae master Gramps Morgan articulates the problem less in terms of dollar signs than of sheer visibility. "If you're not acknowledged, it makes you feel bad," he says. And when he does discuss financial compensation, it's more in terms of the overall system than of applying Band-Aids: "The last time these laws were changed was in the '40s. Now it's time to, as the music has changed and moved forward."

Sofia Carson performing at GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Sofia Carson performing at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. Photo: Paul Morigi / Getty Images

As singer/songwriter, DJ and activist Rowe puts it, "I got involved with Advocacy, because how can I not? If not, I'm just sitting at home complaining about why things are the way they are." She connects this to our era of no-skin-in-the-game online activism: "You can post all day, you can tweet all day, but you've got to really get out there and get with the people that can actually change your life."

Bear, a pianist straddling the spheres of classical and jazz, says she feels like she regularly gets "the short end of the stick" when it comes to compensation. "I've seen and felt firsthand in the streaming industry era how we can't make a living right now." What of her talented friends? "They have to go back and move in with their parents," Bear laments, "because all of a sudden, touring was gone."

How did these sentiments bear out at the actual GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards ceremony? Through passionate performances and gripping speeches. The 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards celebrated artist honorees Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for their decades of creating iconic songs from artists like Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Boyz II Men, as well as Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) for their leadership in supporting the rights of music creators. Despite political party lines, a fierce devotion to music binded them all as friends and colleagues last night.

Rep. Deutch, who spoke first, is the lead Democratic sponsor for the American Music Fairness Act, which, if passed, would pay royalties to artists and producers when their music is played on the radio. (If you didn't know this is a problem, read about it — you'll never listen to the radio the same way again.)

Harvey Mason jr. speaking at GRAMMYs On The Hill 2022

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. speaking at the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. Photo: Leigh Vogel / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

"Our nation must nourish the songwriters struggling to make a living and support the producer and artist working in studios with the next potential hit," Deutch said in his riveting acceptance speech. And we do this, he declared, by making sure technology operates equitably to properly compensate creators. Proving his passion is on the line, he proclaimed his decades-long love for Bruce Springsteen, Faith Hill, and the greats of Motown, among other artists.

McCaul has co-sponsored key legislation like the Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act (HITS Act), which updates the federal tax code to bring in line music production with other industries and create parity. He noted that his big-band-loving parents were confused by his love of AC/DC and the Who — and he now feels the same about his kids' obsession with hip-hop. But it's all music, Rep. McCaul said in his acceptance speech — and it adds up to an intergenerational mode of expression.

The night also featured speeches from Todd Dupler, Acting Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer at the Recording Academy, as well as Recording Academy Board Of Trustees Chair Tammy Hurt, GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Jon Secada, and others.

But what ultimately bridged the music and congressional universes at the GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards? The music, of course: an opening performance of the national anthem with mind-bending harmonies by Take 6 and spectacular performances by Ledisi and Co-Chair of the Recording Academy's National Advocacy Committee and four-time GRAMMY winner Yolanda Adams. And to boot, the house band for the night was composed of Recording Academy members from various Chapters across the country.

By the time everyone in the house got on their feet and the stage erupted into a dance party while Adams performed "Open My Heart," the message of the 2022 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards was abundantly clear: material change beats big talk any day. It's exactly what GRAMMYs on the Hill has advocated and accomplished: Over the past 20 years, the annual event has led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act in 2018.

And as long as that change is charged with a genuine love of music and music people, nothing can stop that righteous tide.

An Inside Look At The Recording Academy's Congressional Briefings During GRAMMY Week

Artwork for GRAMMYs On The Hill 2021
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GRAMMYs On The Hill 2021 Postponed To April 2022 grammys-hill-2021-postponed-april-2022-20th-anniversary-recording-academy

The Recording Academy Postpones The 20th Anniversary Of GRAMMYs On The Hill To April 2022

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The 20th Anniversary of GRAMMYs on the Hill has been postponed to April 2022 "due to increasing public health concerns surrounding COVID-19 variants and the nature of the awards reception and dinner," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. announced
Advocacy
Sep 1, 2021 - 1:03 pm

"The Recording Academy's annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards and Advocacy Day is a yearly event anticipated by members of Congress and musicians alike. Uniting the worlds of music and politics, this unique event celebrates advocacy and encourages support for music's future.

Unfortunately, due to increasing public health concerns surrounding COVID-19 variants and the nature of the awards reception and dinner, the Recording Academy has made the decision to postpone the 20th Anniversary of GRAMMYs on the Hill from September 22, 2021, to April 2022. This was not an easy decision to make but one that the Academy felt was best for the health and safety of all parties involved."

Harvey Mason jr.
CEO, Recording Academy

Congress Is Back In Action In September: 3 Things Music Makers Should Watch For On Capitol Hill

Artwork for GRAMMYs On The Hill 2021
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Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Rep. Ted Deutch and Rep. Michael McCaul Announced As 2021 Honorees For GRAMMYs On The Hill 20th Anniversary On Sept. 22

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GRAMMY-winning songwriters and producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will join congressional leaders Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) at the 2021 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards for a night of celebration and musical surprises
Advocacy
Aug 11, 2021 - 4:00 am

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, music will return to the nation's capital as the Recording Academy marks a successful year of virtual advocacy and celebrates the 20th anniversary of the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards in person. The event is Washington's premier annual celebration of music and advocacy, bringing together congressional leaders and music-makers to recognize those who have led the fight for creators' rights. Sponsored by City National Bank, this year's awards will honor five-time GRAMMY-winning songwriters and producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, the duo behind iconic songs from artists like Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Boyz II Men. Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) will be honored for their contributions to support legislation that protects and ensures fair treatment for music creators. Special guests and attendees will be announced in the coming weeks.

"The pandemic has shown us just how crucial it is for the Academy and Congress to work together to find equitable solutions that protect the music community," Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "We're thrilled to celebrate the legislators and artists who have improved the environment for creators with the return of GRAMMYs on the Hill — a celebration of the music community and Congress coming together to achieve policy advancements in the name of music. To have Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Representatives Deutch and McCaul join us at the 20th anniversary of the event is truly an honor, and we're looking forward to recognizing their invaluable contributions made toward the fight for creators' rights."

With 40 years of legendary songwriting and production under their belts, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis—also known for their impeccable style—just released their debut album as artists, Jam & Lewis, Volume One, to critical acclaim. After meeting in middle school, the two later played with the seminal Morris Day & The Time, recording and opening on tour for Prince before launching their storied career with dozens of artists, which earned them five GRAMMY Awards, more than 100 gold, platinum, multiplatinum, and diamond albums, more Billboard No. 1 hits than any production duo in history, and an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Their No. 1 hits include "That's The Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson, "Monkey" by George Michael, "U Remind Me" by Usher, and "Be Blessed" by Yolanda Adams. In 1982, on a handshake, the pair opened Flyte Tyme Productions, INC., which included their own studio, publishing, and eventually their record label Perspective, which turns 30 this year. Undoubtedly, they have profoundly shaped music, be it R&B, pop, dance, and gospel, or projects like the Olympic theme song. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis are extraordinary innovators in the music industry.

Deutch and McCaul are the congressional honorees being recognized for their stalwart support of creators, especially in the past year when many in the industry lost income and needed help. Deutch is lead Democratic sponsor for the American Music Fairness Act, which, when passed, will pay royalties to artists and producers when their music is played on the radio. McCaul has co-sponsored key legislation like the Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act (HITS Act), which updates the federal tax code to bring in line music production with other industries and create parity.

The awards dinner and presentation will take place at the Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C., with live performances from the musical honorees and additional special guests. Over the past 20 years, GRAMMYs on the Hill has hosted award-winning artists and applauded congressional leaders alike, including four-time GRAMMY winner Yolanda Adams, then-Vice President Joe Biden, two-time GRAMMY winner Garth Brooks, former United States Secretary of State and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), 28-time GRAMMY winner Quincy Jones, seven-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, former Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), four-time GRAMMY winner Missy Elliott, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and more. The annual advocacy event has also led to several major legislative wins for the music industry, most notably the Music Modernization Act.

At GRAMMYs on the Hill, the safety of the honorees, guests, performers, and staff is our first priority. The event will follow all necessary COVID-19 precautions, safety guidelines and requirements set forth by health officials.

GRAMMYs On The Hill 2019: Music And Politics Unite At Washington’s Largest Advocacy Event For Music

GRAMMY Brunch 2022

GRAMMY Fund Breakfast during ​​GRAMMY Week 2022

Photo: David Becker/Getty Images for the Recording Academy

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GRAMMY Week 2022: How The Recording Academy's Advocacy Team And The GRAMMY Fund Breakfast Fight To Advance Music Creators' Rights

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At the annual GRAMMY Fund Breakfast during ​​GRAMMY Week 2022, the Recording Academy's Advocacy team honored leaders who are fostering the next generation of music makers
Melissa Gill
Advocacy
Apr 11, 2022 - 2:53 pm

They say teamwork makes the dream work. To prove that axiom true, music creators and lawmakers must unite to advance the rights of music professionals. The drive to increase support for music creators defined the theme at the third GRAMMY Fund Breakfast, a fundraiser for the Recording Academy's Political Action Committee (PAC) held by the Advocacy & Public Policy team.

The GRAMMY Fund Breakfast — an official GRAMMY Week 2022 event held at Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas on April 2 — gathered leaders of the Recording Academy's Advocacy team, supporters and advocates to thank them for their support and contributions to advancing creators' rights. The event raises funds for the GRAMMY Fund for Music Creators, a PAC that provides Recording Academy members the opportunity to help defend music makers' rights and support their best interests on significant policy issues. With a deep understanding of the creators' journey, the Recording Academy Advocacy team strives to build a better future for all music makers.

Leaders of the committee spoke on the importance of championing music advocacy throughout the GRAMMY Fund Breakfast fundraiser. Todd Dupler, Acting Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer at the Recording Academy, expressed the utmost appreciation for the Recording Academy's National Advocacy Committee and backers. 

"Your support for what we are doing here fuels our advocacy work all year long, fighting for music creators and for creators' rights," he said.

During the event, Dupler recognized members of the Advocacy team, including Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones, as well as trustees in attendance — among them, Recording Academy Board Of Trustees Chair Tammy Hurt, Vice Chair Rico Love and Chair Emeritus Christine Albert. He also offered thanks to his Advocacy & Public Policy team members in attendance, including Senior Director Michael Lewan, Project Manager Anngela Hanks, and Executive Assistant Montana Miller.

Dupler also acknowledged Brookly Bowl founder and owner Peter Shapiro for hosting the event. At the venue, located in the LINQ Promenade, fundraiser attendees settled into large leather sofas as they drank breakfast cocktails and noshed on gourmet morsels.

Shortly after, Andrew Joslyn, composer, orchestrator, violinist, and Co-Chair of the National Advocacy Committee, took the mic. With great enthusiasm, Joslyn delivered a heartfelt speech, expressing appreciation to the Washington, D.C.-based Advocacy team and donors. Through his leadership role, he aims to advance economic equality and recovery for all musicians.

"I wanted to talk a little about the human aspect of what the GRAMMY Fund does. Advocacy sometimes can feel like a stratospheric concept," Joslyn said, adding that he is a gig musician.  "It doesn't really get to the heart of what it actually means. Becoming a full-time musician for a lot of artists is the dream. It's not about the glitz and the glamor and the millions of dollars. It's about being able to sustain the dream.

"The pandemic, the zombie apocalypse, Ice Age, we've all been living through, that was difficult for all of us," he continued. "The gigs stopped. The work stopped. The tours stopped. So where's the money come from? Here's the human aspect that you need to know."

In his gripping speech, Josyln praised the Committee for their dedication to making progressive changes in the music industry, noting that the Advocacy team is "really on the front lines making sure that people like me, people like my colleagues" can live their dreams and sustain a living. "The conductors, the engineers, the road crew, the people that make the dream happen for all the superstars. They're the ones that are suffering.

"The money you are contributing today is putting forth the dreams for all the musicians," Joslyn said. "Not just for me … but all the people that deserve the right to be here in the future. Thank you so much."

Following Joslyn, Yolanda Adams, Co-Chair of the Academy's National Advocacy Committee and the event's special guest host, took the floor. The iconic gospel singer and four-time GRAMMY winner has been at the forefront of fighting for fair compensation for artists and creating legislation to increase the rights of creators.

"I am so excited about the future. We have come through some really stressful, hard times, and to see you all in attendance today makes our hearts just burst with joy because we know that the work we are doing is not going in vain," she said. "We're fighting on the Hill, we're fighting at the state level, we're fighting on the local level. Everywhere we fight, we know the fight is worth it."

Adams' radiant presence and warm voice charmed the crowd. "Although our faces are the most prominent, your participation helps us get to the Senate floor [and] the House floor to tell folks, 'Hey, y'all doing us wrong.1945 prices for 2022. That will not work!' Some of y'all didn't get the joke, you'll catch it after the Bellini."

Such efforts require a team, she continued. "We could not do this without you. None of us are islands," Adams said with exuberance. "We all got here through people, so we're gonna need people. I am so glad that the people we need today are the amazing folks in this room who are going to make it happen."

The Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing Town Hall: Here Were The Insights About Songwriter Royalties & Justice For Music Makers

 

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy and its Affiliates.