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Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) meets with Recording Academy members from New Mexico

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A Look At The Meet Your Music Maker Program: Here's How Lawmakers & Academy Members Joined Together

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The Meet Your Music Maker program, an opportunity for Recording Academy chapters to meet freshmen lawmakers, concludes this week. Here's what happened in that six-month span—and what it could mean for the future of music creators
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Aug 26, 2021 - 2:38 pm

Back in February, the Recording Academy's Advocacy department launched the Meet Your Music Maker Program, which served as an opportunity for Academy members to meet freshmen lawmakers newly elected to the 117th Congress over Zoom.

This week, Meet Your Music Maker wraps up after six months, but the ripple effect of these conversations is bound to be felt for a while. In that span, Academy members from the Atlanta, Chicago, Florida, Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, and Texas chapters met with more than 30 freshmen representatives and senators from their respective chapter footprints.

Meet Your Music Makers goes out with a bang this week as members of the Texas Chapter meet with newly elected lawmakers and their staff. These Zoom calls haven't been mere meet-and-greets or blithe networking opportunities—they revealed real priorities of music creators to the people who have the power to engender authentic change.

Within these Zoom conferences, music creators highlighted the local music community in these lawmaker's districts and states. This is important because these new lawmakers most likely did not seek office because of music issues, and might be unaware of the local importance in their district or state, let alone the power and oversight Congress has over the music industry.

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Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) meets with the Academy’s Texas Chapter​.

These meetings also sought to garner support for the Academy's advocacy priorities in the 117th Congress. These include the HITS (Help Independent Tracks Succeed) Act the American Music Fairness Act and educating lawmakers on the numerous flaws and inaccuracies with the anti-artist Local Radio Freedom Act.

Also on the docket was a round of COVID-19 relief for embattled music professionals. This proved successful with the March enactment of the American Rescue Plan that extended unemployment programs for many music creators, along with subsequent improvements to programs like the Paycheck Protection Program.

On top of all that, these meetings laid the foundation for constructive relationships with the new lawmakers, including eventual in-person follow-ups during the Academy's widely popular District Advocate grassroots day.

It's the Recording Academy's sincere hope and conviction that these meetings will prove fruitful for all music creators and professionals in tangible ways. 

Keep an eye on our Advocacy page for more exciting developments as we continue our alliances with those who can help enact what the Recording Academy is here to do: Support all music creators.

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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U.S. Capitol

 

Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

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

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August is the traditional summer recess month for Congress where they're out of session, but they're back in September for a flurry of legislative action. To that end, here are some key topics to watch out for
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Sep 1, 2021 - 12:25 pm

For music fans and advocates interested in the legislative side of music policy, it's typically crickets on Capitol Hill every August. This is understandable: August is the traditional summer recess for Congress, when they are out of session.

However, this always tees up a flurry of legislative action for their return in September. This year is no different. And the Recording Academy has been prepping to make sure music makers and music policy are part of the action when lawmakers return to D.C. this month.

Here's a quick rundown of three key initiatives to keep an eye out for as legislative activity fires up again on Capitol Hill:

Momentum For The HITS Act

Congressional Democrats are working on drafting and advancing President Biden's ambitious "American Jobs and Family Plan" that will touch on all facets of the American economy and society. With a lot in the potential mix, the Recording Academy is working to ensure that the HITS (Help Independent Tracks Succeed) Act is firmly on Congress's radar.

For context: The HITS Act is designed to help independent artists get back into the studio to create new music through more favorable tax treatment of sound recordings, similar to the existing tax treatment of movie, television, and live theatrical productions. Unlike their peers in these other creative professions, individual recording artists and record producers are limited in how they can deduct their production costs, putting music creators at a real disadvantage and stifling opportunities to create new music. The bipartisan and bicameral bill has been well-received by lawmakers and is ready to move…if the legislative process allows it.

Read More: Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act Reintroduced in the House and Senate

Increasing Funding For The National Endowment For The Arts

Each year, Congress races to pass a funding package before the end of the government's Fiscal Year on September 30. Included in this month's deliberations is an increase in funding for music and the arts via a record level of $201 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Earlier this year, the Recording Academy submitted testimony in support of funding the NEA at $201 million, and since then both the House of Representatives and the Senate have taken pivotal steps to fund the agency at this historic level, but work remains to get it to the president's desk.

If Congress can't muster the votes before the September 30 deadline, they will likely pass a stopgap measure to keep the government afloat temporarily, and try again later in the fall.

Read More: National Endowment For The Arts Announces Guidelines For Grant Awards Under American Rescue Plan

The American Music Fairness Act & Advancing Artists' Rights

Earlier this summer Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the American Music Fairness Act, a new bill to ensure that artists, performers, producers, and music creators are fairly compensated when their songs are played on terrestrial radio stations. The bill continues to build momentum in D.C., and Congress's return to Capitol Hill marks the perfect time to further gain support for this landmark legislation that would end the century old loophole that has hindered artists' rights.

Because of this antiquated loophole in copyright law, terrestrial (AM/FM) radio stations do not pay artists for the music they play on the radio in the United States. The American Music Fairness Act rights this wrong and ensures all of the artists and studio professionals behind the sound recording can earn fair compensation when their music is played on major, commercial FM radio stations—like , iHeart Radio and other conglomerates that earn billions of dollars in revenue each year. The new legislation also includes carve outs to truly protect local and noncommercial radio stations, while also protecting royalties for songwriters.

Read More: Why The American Music Fairness Act Will Give Music Creators What They Deserve

Want to get involved and tell Congress to support music makers? Visit the Recording Academy's Action Center to contact Congress and to become a Music Advocate.

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Photo: Fin Costello/Redferns via Getty Images

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Oxford Economics Reveals Findings On The Fiscal Impact Of Live Music

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Oxford Economics, a self-described leader in global forecasting and quantitative analysis, just revealed its findings on how live music impacts local economies. The data might surprise you
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Aug 5, 2021 - 8:10 am

Oxford Economics last month shared their findings on how live music impacts local, state and national economies—and although the report deals with pre-COVID dollar signs, it contains a wealth of telling information.

The downloadable, illustrated report, compiled in cooperation with Live Nation and titled "The Concerts And Live Entertainment Industry: A Significant Economic Engine," explores "the economic impact this important industry has across the United States." 

This encompasses all the various professions and hats therein, from stagehands to front-of-house engineers to theater ushers—plus, all live musical performances, such as festivals and concerts, and comedy shows held in amphitheaters, clubs, theaters, arenas, stadiums, and other venues.

Here are the key findings, reprinted verbatim:

  • In 2019 the industry's total nationwide economic impact of $132.6 billion supported 913,000 total jobs with associated labor income of approximately $42.2 billion.
  • The industry generated a direct impact of $55.2 billion in 2019, which included local operational spending by live events venues and off-site spending by out-of-town live event attendees.
  • If an out-of-town attendee were to spend $100.00 on a concert ticket, the local economy would benefit from an additional $334.92 in spending, resulting in a total spending impact of $434.92.
  • Overall, the live events industry generated a total fiscal impact of $17.5 billion in 2019, including nearly $9.3 billion in federal tax revenues and $8.3 billion in state and local tax revenues.

Below these bullet points, the landing page offers downloadable summary reports specific to all 50 states with additional findings for top metropolitan areas.

"We commend Oxford Economics for reaffirming what we've known for so long—the music industry is a key driver in creating a prosperous United States economy," Harvey Mason jr., the President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. "From local operational spending to the creation of more than 900,000 jobs, the live music industry creates diverse revenue streams and career opportunities resulting in significant economic impact. This study shows just how important our industry's role is in a healthy economy, which is more crucial now than ever as we continue to cope with the effects of COVID-19."

Helping keep the live music economy afloat in the present is the Shuttered Venues Operators Grant Program (SVOG), which the Recording Academy helped establish in Congress in December. In a recent update from the Small Business Administration, the SVOG has awarded more than $7.5 billion to more than 10,000 venues, theatres, and other qualified businesses.

SBA is still processing first-round awards, but they will have enough for "supplemental" grants. Once SBA finishes processing all first round awards and requests for higher award reconsiderations and appeals of those who were declined, they will begin the supplemental phase. SVOG grants will help ensure live music can return to its recent glory, and resume its significant economic impact across the nation.

Keep an eye on the Recording Academy's Advocacy page for more updates on this and be sure to absorb Oxford Economics' findings as a window into how music shapes the United States' fiscal composition.

Small Business Association To Wind Down Paycheck Protection Program, Ending Historic Relief Program

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Photo: Patricia J. Garcinuno/Getty Images

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Small Business Association To Wind Down Paycheck Protection Program, Ending Historic Relief Program

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As part of a massive revamp, the SBA is winding down the end of the nearly $1 trillion PPP while setting up an online loan forgiveness process. Here's how you can access it
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Jul 28, 2021 - 3:09 pm

The Paycheck Protection Program helped buoy millions of small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic—and now it's coming to an end.

As Politico reports, the Small Business Association (SBA) on Wednesday announced the beginning of the end of the historic, nearly $1 trillion program, announcing in its stead an online loan forgiveness platform that will accept applications from small borrowers.

This initiative will encourage borrowers with loans of $150,000 or less — accounting for more than 90 percent of the pandemic-era program — to apply for loan forgiveness.

The ability to turn PPP loans into grants in exchange for maintaining payroll was a key component of the small business rescue initiative. However, nearly 7 million of those loans have not been forgiven.The SBA's new platform will accept applications from small borrowers directly in a format that officials estimate will take businesses just a few minutes to go through.

What's more, they plan to spare certain borrowers who received second PPP loans this year worth less than $150,000 from having to supply documentation proving that they suffered a 25 percent revenue reduction in 2020 that was required to receive the aid.

The SBA plans to launch the site on a pilot basis on Wednesday (7/28) and have it go live around August 4. This development will be germane to many music creators, who may be considered sole proprietors, independent contractors, or self-employed businesses—which is exactly who the PPP was aimed at in the first place.

Last February, the Biden Administration and SBA jointly announced changes to the PPP, adding increased access to essential financial relief for the creative workforce. Formed as part of the CARES Act, the PPP has enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support due to its ability to rapidly deliver relief to qualified small businesses, sole proprietors and independent contractors. 

While the PPP will soon be a thing of the past, the Recording Academy's Advocacy wing urges those still in need to access the upcoming portal and pursue PPP loan forgiveness if they meet the qualifications.

Updated: Biden Administration Announces Creator-Friendly Changes To The Paycheck Protection Program

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Ivan Barias speaks at Unclaimed Royalties Study Kickoff Symposium
Photo: Recording Academy

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U.S. Copyright Office Recommends Best Practices For Mechanical Licensing Collective

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In a new report titled "Unclaimed Royalties: Best Practice Recommendations for the Mechanical Licensing Collective," the Copyright Office offers suggestions for how to identify and locate musical work copyright owners with unclaimed accrued royalties
Morgan Enos
Advocacy
Jul 15, 2021 - 7:06 am

After surveying the copyright landscape, the U.S. Copyright Office (USCO) has unveiled what it believes to be the best practices for the Mechanical Licensing Collective—nearly 160 pages' worth.

The USCO just published "Unclaimed Royalties: Best Practice Recommendations for the Mechanical Licensing Collective," a list of operational recommendations for the MLC, which absorbed more than $420 million worth of unpaid royalties from digital service providers (DSPs) last February.

Before diving into the entire document, it's worth remembering one key part of 2018's Music Modernization Act, specifies the MLC must "hold accrued royalties associated with particular musical works (and shares of works) that remain unmatched for a period of not less than 3 years after the date on which the funds were received."

In effect, the USCO recommends that the launch of this window be delayed. The USCO says the MLC should apply the three-year period from the time the unmatched usage appears in the claiming portal, not just when funds are received. This, the report states, is in the spirit of meticulousness and thoroughness as opposed to sheer speed. And even then, the report recommends that the decision to distribute unclaimed royalties be tied to specific criteria.

The Recording Academy has long entreated that the MLC should hold on to royalties as long as possible to match them to the right songwriter, including holding them longer than the statutory minimum amount of time. USCO agrees with this and proposes holding the first distribution of unclaimed royalties for at least five years, which—as equity for music creators goes—is a major win.

The need for accurate, correct data also aligns with the Academy's mission, specifically that of the Producers & Engineers Wing. This symbiosis of values is apparent in the frequent citation of the Recording Academy throughout the USCO study.

For example, the report quotes the Academy's Managing Director of Advocacy & Public Policy, Todd Dupler, as saying, "[I]f you're going to err, you should err on waiting a little bit too long to give songwriters a chance to find their money as opposed to doing it a little bit too early before they don't." Then, it replies: "The Office agrees with commenters and recommends that if the MLC is going to err, it should err on the side of holding unclaimed royalties longer."

In their commitment to engage and educate songwriters wherever they are, the Academy has partnered with the MLC for a series of chapter-by-chapter webinars. As such, this development marks only their latest confluence between the two entities. 

In December 2019, Dupler—along with then-Academy Trustee Ivan Barias from the Academy's Philadelphia Chapter—participated in the USCO's kickoff symposium for the unclaimed royalty study. In August of the following year, the Academy filed official comments for the study. Then, in March of 2021, Dupler participated in the Copyright Office's virtual roundtable.

The Recording Academy is thrilled to hear that its voice has been heard by the Copyright Office and looks forward to a continued relationship with the MLC to carve out a fairer future for music creators.

American Music Fairness Act Builds Support In Washington & With Local Radio