
Maren Morris
Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Maren Morris, Adam Levine Join Groundswell Of Support For Music Modernization Act
Following the Senate Judiciary Committee's approval, there has been unprecedented rallying from artists, songwriters and other music creators in support of the Music Modernization Act. Among them are creators such as Jason Isbell, Maren Morris, Travis Tritt, OneRepublic, Steven Tyler, and Adam Levine.
As most of us have stopped buying CDs and have turned mainly to streaming, the % songwriters get paid has drastically plummeted. The #MusicModernizationAct is a fair bill that is so close to becoming law to balance our outdated laws for song royalties to writers/publishers.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) July 28, 2018
"Urgent! All songwriters and music publishers should urge their U.S. Senators to support the bipartisan #MusicModernizationAct," wrote Tritt. "Let's make our voices heard to insure that all songwriters are paid fairly."
URGENT! All songwriters and music publishers should urge their US Senators to support the bipartisan #MusicModernizationAct! Let's make our voices heard to insure that all songwriters are paid fairly. https://t.co/r2hFdtmBTt…
— Travis Tritt (@Travistritt) July 25, 2018
As the Music Modernization Act awaits its day for a full vote in the Senate, this week Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) jumped in on the action to support the bill as well.
Absolutely, @Travistritt! Our Georgia music industry is legendary, and I was proud to cosponsor the bipartisan #MusicModernizationAct in the Senate to reform music licensing! https://t.co/QUSJt0Ve1P https://t.co/pZ9c0ugR3L
— Johnny Isakson (@SenatorIsakson) July 25, 2018
"There's not a 'spirited marketplace' currently in place for matching songwriter royalties," Hatch tweeted. "There's a broken system in which a handful of actors do a bad job, leaving struggling songwriters out millions of dollars that are owed to them."
There's not a "spirited marketplace" currently in place for matching songwriter royalties. There's a broken system in which a handful of actors do a bad job, leaving struggling songwriters out millions of dollars that are owed to them. https://t.co/sDrJ0IQHXc
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) July 30, 2018
While music creators have long advocated for legislation that pays industry professionals their fair share, the MMA has gathered an unprecedented chorus of widespread support across a diverse group of organizations and companies, including the Recording Academy, record labels, publishers, ASCAP and BMI, songwriter groups, unions, streaming services, broadcasters, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP, and conservative groups such as Americans For Tax Reform, Freedom Works, the American Conservative Union, and Citizens Against Government Waste.
There's a reason why the MMA has gone so far without a dissenting vote, sailing through the House of Representatives without a hitch: The bill is a true compromise, and every step of the way has brought together diverse opinions across party lines, across the House and Senate, and across stakeholder groups.
The biggest update to music legislation in the past 40 years, the MMA takes several steps to preserve the well-being of music in our culture. This includes measures that ensure a fair market standard royalty rate, so all music creators are paid fairly for their work, including legacy artists by closing the pre-1972 loophole. No one entity is getting their dream bill, but every affected party stands to benefit, especially music creators.
As consumer music consumption rapidly moves to digital streaming services, the MMA has never been more important. Now that the bill has unanimously passed the House of Representatives and the Senate Judiciary Committee, it's time to take the MMA across the finish line with a full vote from the Senate to ensure all music creators are paid fairly.