Speaking during a virtual House Judiciary hearing on Feb. 2, Gloria Estefan extolled the transformative power of music.

"Each of the songs that are precious and meaningful to you was a labor of love for the songwriters, the artists, the musicians and producers that brought it to life," she said. "They poured their own hearts and souls into its creation."

The problem, though? "But when their music is played on the radio," Estefan continued, "Artists don't get paid, only the songwriters."

In the tableau of digital squares, the three-time GRAMMY winner and 12-time nominee wasn't alone in this assessment. Supporting her argument were Nashville musician Dave Pomeroy and Memphis Chapter Governor Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell — who testified with support from the Recording Academy’s Advocacy Team, and spoke from his experience as a producer, engineer, musician, and the co-owner of historic Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.

"It's about the backbone — the people that make the music. I don't get promotion for 'Uptown Funk,'" Mitchell said in a follow-up Q&A, referring to the GRAMMY-winning hit Mark Ronson song — featuring Bruno Mars — that he co-produced. "It's not just about the featured artists, but the blue-collar people that go in to help make these great records."

Harvey Mason jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, also chimed in with his own statement.

"Today's House Judiciary Committee hearing on the American Music Fairness Act gives lawmakers an opportunity to hear directly from music creators on the antiquated compensation practices by radio stations for their performances," he said.

"The work of artists like Boo Mitchell, Gloria Estefan and Dave Pomeroy should not be devalued to increase the bottom line of big radio conglomerates," Mason continued. "It's time for terrestrial radio to compensate creators fairly. Our hope is that listening to these musicians today will spur Congress toward action."

Read on for Mitchell's entire testimony exhorting for the passage of the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA), click here to access the recorded hearing, and click here to take action to support the AMFA.

Dear Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Jordan, and members of the committee,

My name is Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell. I am a GRAMMY Award-winning Recording Engineer, Producer, Composer, Musician, and the co-owner of Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. I am also a member of the Board of Governors of the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy. Best known for the GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy represents thousands of songwriters, performers, musicians, producers, and engineers across the country. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today.

In 2014, I was visited here at Royal Studios by songwriters and producers Mark Ronson and Jeff Bhasker. After visiting the studio, Mark told me that he wanted to record his album here, including a track with Bruno Mars. Over the next several weeks, Mark, Bruno, Jeff, myself, and some of the finest musical talents from Memphis and around the country teamed up to record the song "Uptown Funk." "Uptown Funk" was released in November of 2014, and immediately charted on Billboard. Eventually, it became the number one song of the year. And then it became the number one song of the decade. "Uptown Funk" is currently fourth on Billboard's All-Time Hot 100 charts. In 2016, it won the GRAMMY Award for Record of the Year, the first record made in Memphis to win this honor.

"Uptown Funk" was also a huge hit on the radio. In 2015, "Uptown Funk" finished the year as the number one song on the mainstream Top 40 radio chart. To this day, it is one of the twenty most played songs of all time on mainstream top 40 radio in America.

But despite this historic airplay on the radio, no one involved in the recording of "Uptown Funk" has ever been paid by the radio broadcasters who used and profited from their work.

Because of a loophole in the copyright law, radio broadcasters are allowed to play sound recordings without asking for permission from the artists who created it and without paying them any compensation. They can play records on the air for free, and they use our music to sell billions of dollars worth of advertising. I can't think of another industry in America where you are allowed to take someone else's property and use it without permission or compensation.

But this story gets crazier. "Uptown Funk" wasn't just a big radio hit in the United States, it was a hit around the world. The track reached number one in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and the U.K. In every single one of those countries, the broadcasters actually did pay royalties for playing the record. But I still didn't get paid.

You see, almost every other country in the world recognizes a public performance right for sound recordings on the radio, and they require broadcasters to pay royalties to artists and rights holders. But because we don't recognize a performance right here in the United States, foreign countries won't pay American artists the royalties we are due until the United States fixes the law and reciprocates. So, Mark Ronson, who was born in London and still lives there, can collect royalties from all the airplay that "Uptown Funk" has received around the world. But none of the American artists who collaborated with him can. Every year, American artists are losing hundreds of millions of dollars in international royalties that are owed to them.

More than two dozen individuals are credited on the recording of "Uptown Funk." While performance royalties from radio may not make a huge difference in the life of a super star like Bruno Mars, it would make all the difference in the world to me and to the other musicians, vocalists, and studio professionals that created this iconic track.

Fortunately, there is a reasonable, common-sense solution to fix this injustice. The American Music Fairness Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Ted Deutch and Darrell Issa. This bill would establish a performance right for sound recordings played on AM/FM radio stations. Under the bill, artists, performers, vocalists, producers, and other music makers involved in the creation of a sound recording would receive fair market compensation for their music played on radio stations across the U.S., just like they currently receive on digital radio services.

Importantly, the bill also safeguards the royalties received by songwriters for airplay on the radio, and it also contains key protections for small broadcasters to ensure that local and community radio stations can continue to thrive.

"Uptown Funk" is just one illustration of how this injustice has hurt recording artists throughout history. This year happens to be the fiftieth anniversary of Al Green's legendary album Let's Stay Together, which was recorded at Royal Studios and produced, recorded, and mixed by my dad, Willie Mitchell. The title track was a number one hit and has been added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, but my dad, who passed away in 2010, never received a penny from radio for his work.

Fast-forward to today and we are still making hits in Memphis that you can hear on the radio. It was just about one year ago that I received another phone call, this time from Bruno Mars. He was working on a new project and wanted to add some of those grimy Memphis horns. Those horns can be heard on the new album Bruno recorded with Anderson .Paak under the name Silk Sonic. Their current single "Smokin Out The Window" is still on the charts and still on the radio, but the horn players I recorded with -- Kameron Whalum, Marc Franklin, Kirk Smothers, and Lannie McMillan – haven't received any compensation from broadcasters.

Some things have not changed from the time my dad opened Royal Studios to today. We still produce and record great music. And AM/FM radio stations still pay no royalties to performers. Time is running out to fix this injustice for the artists of my dad's generation, like the Rev. Al Green and the Rev. Charles Hodges. These artists aren't looking for free promotion to sell records or go on tour, they just want the compensation that they deserve but have long been denied. And a new generation is struggling to see if they can even make it in the music business.

The ongoing pandemic continues to disrupt touring and the live music sector, which makes it all the more important that artists are able to fully realize the value of their recorded music in order to make a living. The lost royalties from radio could make the difference in whether a musician can stay focused on their career or has to take a second or third job to get by. 

Royal Studios is one of the oldest recording studios in the world, but we've struggled during these uncertain times as well. If we had been able to collect my dad's royalties from radio over the past fifty years, my small business and my family would be in better shape today.

Those who create music answer to a unique calling. It is not just a profession you choose, it's one that also chooses you. But today I'm calling on Congress to help us keep the music playing by ensuring that American Music Creators are fully compensated the way other Music Creators around the world are, whenever their work is used or exploited.

Please pass the American Music Fairness Act. Thank you.

The House Small Business Committee Puts A Spotlight On The Creative Economy: Here's What We Learned

In a landmark victory for songwriters, the U.S. Copyright Office issued a new rule on July 10 that ensures songwriters who reclaim their works from their publishers will also receive streaming royalties for those works through The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC).

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke on the ruling: "After years of engagement and activism on this issue, the Academy applauds the Copyright Office for protecting the rights of songwriters and affirming their ability to receive appropriate compensation after reclaiming their copyrights. We also thank our friends in the music community for their partnership and collaboration as we fought for this important victory."

Songwriters often sign over the copyright to their music to publishers who then promote, license, and monetize their work. By law, songwriters have "termination rights" which allow them to end their publisher agreement and regain their copyrights after a period of time under certain conditions. 

However, the MLC — which administers a blanket license for streaming platforms to use songs — initially determined that royalties generated from streams would continue to go to the license holder at the time a song is uploaded to a streaming service rather than to the current copyright owner at the time a song is streamed. 

Starting back in 2020, the Recording Academy, along with other songwriter groups, opposed this practice as it undermined the purpose of termination rights, which exist to level the playing field for songwriters and other creators who may have entered into unfavorable deals. 

Since 2020, the Recording Academy held multiple ex parte meetings with the Copyright Office to discuss the impacts of the MLC's determination, and submitted formal comments and reply comments throughout the Office's rulemaking proceedings.

In stating its position, the Academy argued its belief that termination rights are among the most important protections that songwriters, artists, and other creators have for their work. The Academy also urged the USCO to avoid weakening or infringing on these protections. 

The U.S. Copyright Office has since agreed with the Recording Academy and deemed the MLC's decision an "erroneous" rule, stating that if a songwriter reclaims the copyright to their music, they should receive the royalties. And after multiple years of rulemaking, the Copyright Office published a final rule last week directing the MLC to distribute royalty payments in accordance with the Copyright Act.

The rule:

• Directs the MLC to make future royalty payments to the copyright holder at the time a stream is played.

• Directs the MLC to engage in a "corrective adjustment" process to address any overpayments made due to the erroneous rule. 

The Recording Academy is proud to champion ownership rights for songwriters and to amplify the voices of small creators. For more information about the new rule, visit here.

Watch: House Judiciary Subcommittee Holds "Radio, Music And Copyrights: 100 Years Of Inequity For Recording Artists" Hearing

On July 9, the Recording Academy, in coordination with the National Independent Venues Association (NIVA), participated in the Fix the Tix Day of Action, which aims to ban fake tickets, deceptive marketing, and hidden costs. This joint push mobilized industry organizations, professionals and fans alike to urge lawmakers to pass the Fans First Act.

Backed by the Recording Academy and introduced by GRAMMYs On The Hill honorees Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the Fans First Act is the most comprehensive reform undertaken to improve the concert ticket marketplace for consumers.

About the Fans First Act, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said: "With the introduction of the Fans First Act today, the Recording Academy applauds Senators Klobuchar, Cornyn, Blackburn, Luján, Wicker and Welch for taking this important step towards comprehensive ticketing reform.

"As we work together to improve the ticket marketplace," he added, "we urge Congress to act on this bill quickly and continue its effort to protect both artists and fans by increasing transparency and limiting bad actors that take away from the joyous experience of live music."

The Fans First Act requires ticket sellers to disclose and itemize fees upfront, prohibits the use of bots to purchase tickets online and requires sellers to refund consumers the full ticket price if the event is canceled. It also penalizes deceptive marketing tactics — like fake websites — that trick consumers into paying more for tickets that may never get them into a show.

Finally, it prohibits the use of speculative tickets. Also known as "specs," these are tickets that a seller claims they possess but do not actually possess. A new case study across five independent venues in the Washington, D.C. area shows that in 2024, 73,000 speculative tickets have been listed for resale at these venues, totaling an estimated $49 million in potentially fraudulent sales.

The Recording Academy is advocating for Congress to listen to the artists on the stage and pass the Fans First Act to protect consumers, elevate creative economic development, and restore trust in the ticketing experience for fans and artists. 

Click here to take action — and keep watching our Advocacy page for updates on how the Recording Academy fights for all music people!

Watch: House Judiciary Subcommittee Holds "Radio, Music And Copyrights: 100 Years Of Inequity For Recording Artists" Hearing

On Wednesday, June 26, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a hearing titled "Radio, Music, and Copyrights: 100 Years of Inequity for Recording Artists." The aim of this hearing was to examine an injustice affecting the music community: creators not receiving royalty payments for public broadcasting of their sound recordings on terrestrial radio.

The hearing explored the legislative proposal, the American Music Fairness Act of 2023, which would require a license for broadcasting sound recording via AM/FM radio, and ensure that music creators receive compensation for their work no matter the platform. You can watch the deliberations below:

The hearing witnesses included country legend Randy Travis, who boasts seven GRAMMYs and 16 nominations; Curtis LeGeyt, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Broadcasters; Michael Huppe, the President and Chief Executive Officer of SoundExchange; and Eddie Harrell Jr., the Regional Vice President and General Manager of Radio One, Inc., in Cleveland.

As Travis had a stroke 10 years ago that limits his ability to speak, his wife, Mary Travis, testified on his behalf. Her testimony wrapped with, "We ask your help in righting the wrong… ensure that artists are paid for their work, their identity is theirs alone, and the soundtracks of our lives continue to play on… Forever and Ever, Amen!" evoking one of her husband's most iconic tracks. 

The Recording Academy is a long-term proponent of the American Music Fairness Act. Sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the AMFA is a balanced solution that ensures music creators are fairly compensated when their songs are played on AM/FM radio, but with carefully crafted exemptions to protect small and local broadcasters.

During the hearing, several members of the subcommittee expressed strong support for the American Music Fairness Act, and many encouraged the radio industry to work with artists and record labels on reaching a solution to end the century-long injustice.

The bill recognizes the property rights of creators, while supporting community broadcasters across the United States. For close to a century, performers, musicians, and studio professionals have been denied the basic right to receive compensation for their work when their music is played by AM/FM radio.

From the foundational performers of the past to today's iconic stars and the thousands of indispensable backing vocalists, instrumentalists, producers, engineers, and mixers, precisely zero dollars have gone to the creators behind the music played on the radio. 

To make matters worse, the United States is one of the only countries in the world– a distinction it shares with countries like Cuba, North Korea,and Iran–  where this inequity exists, costing artists hundreds of millions of dollars in lost reciprocal royalties overseas in addition to the royalties that aren't paid at home. 

The Recording Academy has been championing this issue for almost two decades — and they're far from alone. In December of 2022, during the 117th Congress, identical legislation passed out of the House Judiciary without any recorded opposition — just another reason why the Recording Academy has faith that the AMFA has legs.

Click here for ways to support the American Music Fairness Act and get involved in the advocacy for music creators, and stay tuned for more information about the Academy's continued fight for all music people.

How Newly Elected Recording Academy Trustees Are Involved In Advocacy: Dani Deahl, Taylor Hanson & More

The Recording Academy's Board of Trustees has a history of being filled with members that are both passionate about making music and advocating for music creators. The newly elected slate of trustees is no exception and four of the new members continuously show their dedication to advocacy.

Those Trustees are Dani Deahl, Taylor Hanson, Torae Carr, and Sara Gazerak. They're four of a total of 19 leaders of diverse backgrounds and disciplines who have assumed their position on the 2024-2025 Board of Trustees.

Effective June 1, the newly elected Trustees joined the Academy's midterm Trustees, including National Officers Tammy Hurt (Chair), Dr. Chelsey Green (Vice Chair), Gebre Waddell (Secretary/Treasurer), and Christine Albert (Chair Emeritus).

Their mission is to uphold the Academy's core values: to serve and represent the music community at-large through its commitment to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, fight for creators' rights, protect music people in need, preserve music's history, and invest in its future.

About that fight for creator's rights, specifically: read on for these four Trustees' advocacy bona fides.

Dani Deahl

This prominent artist, DJ and producer previously served as the Recording Academy's Chicago Chapter Governor. She's also been a prolific advocate for music makers and the greater music industry. 

In March, Deahl testified in front of the Illinois House and Senate on HB 4875/SB 3325 alongside fellow Chicago Chapter member Jeff Becker. HB 4875/SB 3325 represents a crucial step towards modernizing Illinois's Right of Publicity Act for the AI era.

By granting additional enforcement rights and remedies, the bill was created to shield musicians from exploitation by generative AI systems. While existing copyright laws offer some protection, the amendments directly address gaps in safeguarding an artist's name, image, likeness, and voice.

Shortly after the Academy and Deahl's advocacy efforts in Springfield, HB 4875/SB 3325 passed through both the Illinois House and Senate and is with Governor J.B. Pritzker waiting to be signed into law.

On Friday, May 3, Deahl participated in the Recording Academy's Inaugural GRAMMYs on the Hill Future Forum. Designed to provide a space to explore the most pressing issues facing music, this momentous occasion served as a pivotal platform to delve into the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the music community. The afternoon consisted of a series of panel discussions curated to explore both the promise and the peril that AI presents to music makers.

Deahl joined GRAMMY nominated producer, emcee, vocalist, and thought leader, Kokayi, and Recording Academy's Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer, Todd Dupler, for the first panel of the afternoon. 

Throughout the discussion, Deahl demonstrated live how she ethically uses AI as a tool to enhance her music, including stem separation, voice or tone replacement, and song generation. Dani also attended and participated in the 2024 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards and Advocacy Day.

Taylor Hanson

You know that surname: he's a former Texas Chapter President, three-time GRAMMY nominated artist and member of the band Hanson.

Last August, Recording Academy members of the Texas Chapter, including Taylor Hanson, headed to Oklahoma City to meet with state government officials to build up the relationship between the Oklahoma music community and state leaders.

Throughout the day, the group met with Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell and the Deputy Director of the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, Jeanette Stanton, at the state's Capitol before heading to the Governor's Mansion.

During the meeting, they discussed the importance of the music community in Oklahoma, ways the state can continue to be involved in supporting the music community, and how the Recording Academy can be a resource for ensuring artists' voices are heard.

At the Governor's Mansion, Hanson participated in a panel with other Texas Chapter members on the Recording Academy and how Oklahoma Academy members and music creators can get involved. Specifically, the group highlighted the Recording Academy's District Advocate Day, which Hanson has been a vocal supporter of.

Taylor Hanson has participated in numerous District Advocate meetings, attended the 2024 GRAMMY Advocacy Brunch, and has also used his social platform to spread awareness about the Recording Academy's grassroots advocacy movements.

Torae Carr

On May 7, 2024, this rapper and former New York Chapter President joined other members of the Recording Academy's New York chapter and took to the state capitol in Albany. The purpose was to advocate for the passage of A 127, a crucial piece of legislation designed to safeguard the creative works of artists across New York.

Throughout the day, the group met with key members of the Assembly to express their support for the bill and highlight the crucial need to protect artistic freedom during legal proceedings.

At the time of the advocacy day, A 127 had already passed through the senate. Since then, it has been voted through the Assembly Codes Committee with the goal to be voted on in the Assembly in the coming days. 

Sara Gazerack

Gazerack isn't just a GRAMMY-winning jazz vocalist: she serves as one of the Los Angeles Chapter's Advocacy Representatives and most recently was a Los Angeles Chapter Governor.

This spring, Sarah joined some 60 GRAMMY winners, nominees, and Recording Academy executives in DC for GRAMMYs on the Hill. Sara met with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), and policy staff of Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA).

The Advocacy Day consisted of meetings with Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill and a visit to the White House for a roundtable discussion on  AI policy, ticket reforms, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the president's work on gun violence, before a special conversation with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

The Recording Academy commends these Trustees for their commitment to advocacy for music people — and to follow their future work in this regard, keep checking RecordingAcademy.com/Advocacy for up-to-date info!

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