musicFIRST Applauds New Cosponsors of “Fair Play Fair Pay” Act

WASHINGTON – musicFIRST Executive Director Chris Israel issued the following statement today on growing support for the Fair Play Fair Pay Act (H.R. 1836):

“We are so pleased to have Congressmen Jim Cooper and Brad Sherman join our effort to ensure music creators are compensated fairly for their work. Congress has a historic opportunity to modernize the U.S. copyright system by enacting the ‘Fair Play Fair Pay Act’ and their support shows growing bipartisan momentum behind reform.

“This bill establishes market-based compensation for music creators across all platforms, and creates fair, technology-neutral rules for music services. It also closes the inexplicable loophole that allows music services to avoid compensating artists for works they released prior to 1972.

“With digital and streaming services on the rise in popularity, the radio industry needs to adapt to the new market realities and continue to grow alongside them. By clinging on to an antiquated and unfair model – and failing to pay for the music that powers its frequencies – the radio industry is bound to be left behind.

“As it continues to gain momentum and bipartisan support from Congress, the Fair Play Fair Pay Act will be beneficial to both music creators and broadcasters – it will compensate music creators for their art and push the radio industry into the 21st century.”

To learn more about musicFIRST Coalition and the effort to ensure that music artists receive fair compensation for use of their creative property in the new music landscape, visit www.musicfirstcoalition.org.

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