Let’s Make a Hit Record by Unanimously Passing CLASSICS Out of the Senate Judiciary Committee

Dear Senate – We’re looking at you now.

Legislation stands before lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee that could change the course of American music history. The CLASSICS Act (S. 2393) enjoyed overwhelming support in the House, and now it’s the Senate’s turn to take up and pass this landmark legislation.

The CLASSICS Act, or the Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, & Important Contributions to Society Act, would close a federal loophole that denies digital compensation to legacy music creators that made their music before the arbitrary date of February 15, 1972. In essence, this unjust law prevents countless legacy artists from receiving the fair pay they deserve.

This is not a partisan issue. Members of the House of Representatives voted unanimously last month in favor of the bill – packaged with three other key music licensing reform provisions as the Music Modernization Act (H.R. 5447). We urge members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to do right by artists and unanimously pass the CLASSICS Act out of committee and on to the Senate floor for a vote.

Special thanks are in order: Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bob Corker (R-TN) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) deserve a round of applause for introducing the CLASSICS Act and standing in solidarity with the artists that made the music we still know and love and that continues to inspire new songs and sounds today.

There isn’t much Washington can agree on these days, but having taken years to specify the exact language, the CLASSICS Act has bipartisan support. It’s also supported by those across the music industry – artists, independent and major labels, producers and engineers, songwriters, music publishers, performing rights organizations and technology stakeholders like the Internet Association and Pandora. It’s rare that this diverse group of organizations and individuals with often competing interests agree on something, and yet the CLASSICS Act is embraced by all of them.

And if all of this is not enough inspiration, check out the full list of 300 artists calling on the Senate to pass the CLASSICS Act in Politico here. The momentum is growing!

Dear Senate – It’s clear that now is the right time to update America’s music laws and treat all music creators fairly. It’s simply the right thing to do.