This week the Orrin G. Hatch Music Modernization Act passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate after the House of Representatives passed the bill 415-0 in April. This is a major milestone as we come one step closer to bringing U.S. Copyright Law into the digital age.
The #MusicModernizationAct will make it easier for older artists in the streaming era to get royalties on songs recorded before 1972. https://t.co/ONpqeRnArP
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) September 19, 2018
See what industry leaders, lawmakers and artists had to say about the accomplishment.
SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe:
“The future of the music industry got brighter today. Creators of music moved one step closer to getting paid more fairly. And industry forces that fought to maintain an unfair and harmful status quo were rebuffed. Now, SoundExchange’s 170,000-member community has just one word for the House of Representatives: Encore.”
“The Music Modernization Act proves what can happen when constructive industry leaders work together towards a greater good. The SoundExchange community joined a historic coalition of artists, labels, songwriters, music publishers, streaming services, performance rights organizations, producers, engineers and unions. The outcome of this collaboration is a law that sets a new framework to guide the future of the music industry. There are still issues regarding creator fairness that we need to address, but today we celebrate a new era of cooperation and progress across the industry.” (SoundExchange)
RIAA President Mitch Glazier:
🚨 “As legendary band the Grateful Dead once said in an iconic pre-1972 song, ‘what a long strange trip it’s been.’ It’s been an epic odyssey, and we’re thrilled to almost be at our destination” @RIAA President Mitch Glazier on Senate passage of historic #MusicModernizationAct pic.twitter.com/ivpZ3CJyZR
— RIAA (@RIAA) September 18, 2018
Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy:
“The passage of the Music Modernization Act by the Senate is a historic moment for the tens of thousands of music creators across the nation. Since first proposing the music industry unite around a common bill in 2014, our members have lobbied in Washington and all 50 states to achieve this vision. When creators raise their voices for fairness, they make great progress.” (GRAMMY Advocacy)
Richard James Burgess Ph.D., CEO A2IM:
“The passing of the MMA bill is yet another example of what can be achieved when creators and their representatives stand together for fairer remuneration. A2IM is grateful to all the people involved in finally making this a part of our reality in this industry. All creators should be compensated fairly and A2IM is a strong advocate to ensure that happens not only for independent artists but for all artists. We look forward to the bill becoming a law, and giving all artists what they have deserved for so long.” (A2IM)
SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris:
“The Senate’s passage of the Music Modernization Act ensures that our singers and sound recording artists will at last be justly compensated for their pre-1972 works on digital and satellite platforms. We thank the Republicans and Democrats who together voted to correct this injustice and move the music industry forward. This is a great day for all the artists and creators whose work has and will continue to bring joy to millions of people across the globe. I’d also like to thank SAG-AFTRA members for their thousands of emails to Congress. Their voices were heard.
“We now urge the House of Representatives to pass the Senate bill quickly and look forward to the president signing this important legislation into law.” (SAG-AFTRA)
American Federation of Music:
The Senate UNANIMOUSLY passed the Music Modernization Act because musicians strongly stood together! We are closer than ever to ensuring musicians are fairly compensated for their recording work regardless of the date the music was made.https://t.co/TRyxDTt7WJ via @pitchfork
— Amer. Fed. Musicians (@The_AFM) September 19, 2018
U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch & Lamar Alexander:
NEWS: Today Hatch, along with a bipartisan group of 18 Senators introduced a major music reform package that will bring music licensing laws into the 21st century. #SaveSongwriters
The Music Modernization Act has been included in the package –>https://t.co/FejFr4UcpK #utpol pic.twitter.com/0muVvQJkMj
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) May 10, 2018
Neil Diamond, legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer:
“When you hear “Sweet Caroline,” my hit from 1968, on internet radio, satellite radio or a music channel on cable TV, those services can withhold certain royalty payments thanks to an obscure quirk in federal copyright law that predates digital radio altogether.” – Read the full op-ed by Neil Diamond in the LA Times here.
Singer, Songwriter and Producer Smokey Robinson:
The U.S. Senate has passed the #MusicModernizationAct! A step in the right direction. So very proud to have been a part of this movement with the @RIAA. #CLASSICSAct pic.twitter.com/5EoFNUO8OI
— Smokey Robinson (@smokeyrobinson) September 19, 2018
Mary Wilson of The Supremes:
We made music history together! Thanks to our members’ @GRAMMYAdvocacy efforts the Orrin G Hatch #MusicModernizationAct PASSED THE SENATE. We did it! Join the celebration-> https://t.co/MWxCRTqdQ1 pic.twitter.com/gsFNaRUFXt
— Mary Wilson (@MWilsonSupreme) September 20, 2018
And a special shout-out to Sen. Orrin Hatch. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s amendment adding your name to the title of the bill is well deserved! Your hard work here is done Senator Hatch!
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