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7 Ways To Support Music Creators This 4th Of July 7-ways-support-music-creators-4th-july
7 Ways To Support Music Creators On The 4th Of July
As America celebrates her independence, here are a few simple ways you can improve the livelihoods of those who soundtrack our lives
The 4th of July is a national holiday known for celebrating freedom with family, friends and BBQ. But what would the party be without music? For all the fireworks and fun, Independence Day also serves as a reminder of how important music is to the moments that shape our lives. As you plan out your 4th festivities, here are seven simple ways you can support music creators over the holiday weekend and the rest of the summer.
1. Attend a live show
Whether you head out to a big-ticket concert event or support a local venue, attending artists' live shows is a great way to support their art. Who knows, you might even hear a new song, an unexpected cover or even meet your musical heroes face-to-face. Check out your local event calendar listings and find an artist you love who is playing live, or just go try something new.
2. Listen to music via a paid streaming service
As streaming continues to replace physical music sales, listening online is a great way to show love for the music creators you love. While the Recording Academy is hard at work to ensure music creators are compensated fairly with streaming royalties, paid subscriptions are a great way to ensure you're doing your part as a fan.
The music industry is expected to double in revenue over the next ten years - but a closer look at the numbers reveals a harsh reality for working musicians. https://t.co/abrPMQjMKd
— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) June 21, 2019
3. Buy merchandise
By ordering T-shirts, vinyl, artwork and more, you put dollars directly in the pockets of your favorite music creators and have something to show your support. Bring along your favorite new vinyl record or wear that new favorite band tee to your 4th of July BBQ, and you'll no doubt strike up a conversation with someone about our favorite topic: music!
4. Demand better digital credits to discover more songs from your favorite music makers
In a world that revolves around online discovery, proper credits are essential. But current digital credits leave much to be desired, and exploring other works by the songwriters, musicians and producers you love can be a lot harder than it should be. Take a quick minute to help us change that by signing our "Give Fans The Credit" petition.
5. Follow your favorite music makers on social media
Forge a direct connection with the people who make the music you enjoy by following their social accounts. Better yet, share, recommend and amplify their work to your network. You'll be utilizing the power of the internet to help make the world more aware of what music means to you while always staying in-the-know on what your playlist's players are up to. And in an industry that uses social metrics to help inform and measure influence, your like or follow shows that you care. While you're at it, you can also follow GRAMMY Advocacy on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest.
6. Make a playlist
Speaking of playlists, many streaming platforms like Spotify use user-created playlists when sourcing data to build their own playlists. This cycle of discoverability means that when you put your favorite songs on a playlist together, someone else with a crossover in musical taste is more likely to discover a new artist or song from you. Best of all, a playlist is the perfect time capsule – like the mixtapes and CD mixes of yesteryear – to look back on. What's on your "4th of July 2019" mix?
RELATED: Making The Perfect Playlist With GRAMMY U Members
7. Be an advocate for music
Education is power! Subscribe to the Academy's advocacy newsletter to stay up-to-date on all issues affecting music creators. Sign-up to receive our regular newsletter chock-full of Advocacy news, reports, interviews and more. Happy 4th!
Ashanti To Frank Ocean: 9 Artists Who Claimed Their (Label) Independenc
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CASE Act Advances, Preps For Full Vote In Congress win-creators-case-act-advances-preps-full-vote-congress
A Win For Creators: CASE Act Advances, Preps For Full Vote In Congress
Lawmakers take the latest step towards building a better legal system for copyright
"Music creators are one step closer to having a simpler and more cost-effective way to defend their original works against infringement." –Daryl Friedman, Conversations In Advocacy #65
Good news from D.C. this week: The Copyright Alternative Small Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act) was successfully marked up and passed in the House Judiciary Committee late Tuesday.
"With the House Judiciary Committee's passage of the CASE Act, music creators are one step closer to having a simpler and more cost-effective way to defend their original works against infringement," said Daryl Friedman, Chief Industry, Government & Member Relations Officer of the Recording Academy. "I urge both chambers to pass this legislation to eliminate the unfair advantage against creators that currently exists in copyright law and protect the viability of the music industry."
The @HouseJudiciary and @JudiciaryGOP have passed the #CASEAct without objection!
Here's how the legislation will empower creators: https://t.co/jvDUFCEfrl pic.twitter.com/x3kjMcHwkZ
— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) September 11, 2019
The CASE Act is now ready for a full vote in both Congressional chambers, and there is hope the next vote could take place in the next few weeks.
The bill will create the Copyright Claims Board at the U.S. Copyright office, creating a small claims court and capping claim damages to provide better and more efficient copyright infringement protection, empowering artists, songwriters and other creators who can't afford big budget legal fees associated with Federal court action.
The CASE Act boasts widespread and bipartisan support, with more than 100 Congressional co-sponsors and a robust list of creative organizations and unions behind it. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, points out the bill, "Will create a more streamlined and significantly less costly means for photographers, songwriters and graphic designers to fight property theft and protect their livelihoods.
The CASE Act will help small creators ranging from song writers to authors, photographers, & graphic designers. I hope the House will pass the #CASEAct as soon as possible to give these creators a new tool to better protect their intellectual property.https://t.co/YpgeIrCPmk
— Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) September 11, 2019
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and lead author of the bill, added, "The establishment of the Copyright Claims Board is critical for the creative middle class who deserve to benefit from the fruits of their labor."
Also, as creators across the U.S. prepare for the Recording Academy's District Advocate day on Oct. 2, it is reassuring for music makers to see that lawmakers are working to ensure the viability of their profession. Recording Academy members will be meeting with local lawmakers on District Advocate day to discuss key issues affecting the music community.
As the CASE Act gains steam toward becoming law, now is prime time to contact your Members of Congress and urging them to support all creators by co-sponsoring the act to push it one step closer to the president's desk.
Photo: Stephen Albanese/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Image
Diverse Support Mounts For CASE Act diverse-support-mounts-case-act-find-out-who-are-among-its-80-co-sponsors
Diverse Support Mounts For CASE Act: Find Out Who Are Among Its 80+ Co-Sponsors
What do songwriters, lawmakers, novelists, artists, app builders, union members and photographers all have in common? They all support this crucial copyright claims legislation
Songwriters and artists of all levels of success deserve the same protection of their work, right? Thankfully, the Copyright Alternative Small Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act) offers just that, addressing copyright enforcement for small and independent creators who can't afford big budget legal fees associated with Federal court action.
Double thankfully, support for the bill is growing, with more than 80 Congressional co-sponsors and a long list of organizations backing the CASE Act as it makes its way through the Congressional process.
Among these champions of copyright are Congressional co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle, which is not only a testament to the strength and necessity for the CASE Act, but an encouraging sign for it becoming a law.
The #CASEact passed unanimously by Senate Judiciary Committee https://t.co/dH0xwfcjEd
— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) July 18, 2019
In the House of Representatives, 29 Republicans and 53 Democrats comprise an impressive 82 co-sponsors. Notables include the bill's lead sponsor, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), who is also the Democratic Caucus Chairman, along with House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY-10) and Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-GA-9), who each are original cosponsors of the bill. Considering their committee has jurisdiction over the CASE Act, and more than two-thirds support of its members co-sponsor the bill, it is poised to advance to the full House floor for a vote.
The Senate version of the CASE Act, which passed favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, is up to 15 co-sponsors, and is led by Senator John Kennedy (R-La.). Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) are among the notable bipartisan co-sponsors. In all, nearly half of the Senate Judiciary Committee are co-sponsors of the bill.
With the CASE Act headed to the Senate Judiciary Committee for mark-up next week, learn how you can take action in support of creators' rights. https://t.co/0X4NFSwCct
Beyond the beltway, the CASE Act has earned widespread support from music and non-music groups alike. Key players in the music industry representing artists, songwriters, composers and business have backed the bill, plus writers and musicians unions and various organizations from the worlds of writing, photography, journalism, law and more are also on board—including the Copyright Alliance, American Bar Association, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, SAG-AFTRA the American Federation of Musicians, the Professional Photographers Association, the Authors Guild, and dozens more.
#ICYMI: "ABA support of the #CASEAct speaks volumes" - @OurPPA CEO David Trust #MySkillsPayBills https://t.co/J9Tvlod4qx
— Copyright Alliance (@Unite4Copyright) August 26, 2019
Fueled by all this support, the CASE Act chugs full steam ahead toward its next step in the process: markup in the House Judiciary Committee at some point late summer/early fall. Now is the time to show your support for the bill by contacting your Members of Congress and urging them to support all creators by co-sponsoring the act to push it one step closer to the president's desk.
Billie Eilish At Lollapalooza 2018
Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy
Billie Eilish & The State Of Full-Album Streaming how-billie-eilishs-debut-lp-proves-album-streaming-still-alive-among-youth-2019
How Billie Eilish's Debut LP Proves Album Streaming Still Alive Among Youth In 2019
Early figures on the popstar's breakout album plus the IFPI's annual Global Music Report paint a positive picture of young listeners and streaming, underscoring the need for fair royalty rates now
Apr 5, 2019 - 4:23 pm
"Music sales are up, streaming is booming, and if Billie Eilish's new album is any indication, young listeners are streaming full albums – so why are streaming companies still fighting so hard to underpay for their product? It is time to fairly compensate music creators for their work." — Conversations In Advocacy #51
Numbers don't lie. Global music sales increased by 9.7 percent in 2018 and nearly half came from streaming, according to the IFPI's annual Global Music Report. What's more, young music consumers are still interested in streaming full albums—under the right conditions. This means as streaming grows toward becoming the majority income generator for music worldwide, so does the importance of fair royalty rates to encourage and support music creation.
Take breakout alt-pop sensation Billie Eilish's debut full-length, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which arrived last Friday after much anticipation. The album, which is expected to be the second-biggest album drop of the year so far, landed at No. 1 on Apple Music in 96 markets worldwide and garnered nearly 56 million Spotify streams on its first day alone. Remarkably, Apple Music listeners streamed an average of 81 percent of the album's duration, and a similar effect was felt on Spotify.
https://twitter.com/billieeilish/status/1111478194006167552
Billie's debut album "WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?" is out now. https://t.co/WpjPWqNI20 pic.twitter.com/I8uHPLVNOH
— billie eilish (@billieeilish) March 29, 2019
Not all blockbuster albums see this level of equilibrium. Drake's 2018 effort Scorpion, earned over 60 percent of its plays from just three tracks: "God's Plan," "In My Feelings" and "Nice For What." Granted the rollout of these two smash hits was quite different. As Music Business Worldwide points out, Eilish's album was marketed to streaming audiences as a comprehensive body of work, at least by Apple Music, and that may have made the difference.
"While most services focus the majority of their efforts around playlists, Apple Music still emphasizes albums because we understand their value as a storytelling tool for artists," said Oliver Schusser, Apple Music.
https://twitter.com/IFPI_org/status/1113050828728885248
The Global Music Report 2019 is the definitive guide to the state of the recording industry worldwide. Read it now https://t.co/ZvNxTne15C#GlobalMusicReport pic.twitter.com/Z9BHOjDxwu
— IFPI (@IFPI_org) April 2, 2019
Eilish's case study underscores young consumers' overall migration to streaming, a not-new phenomenon in music consumption. What is new—or at least is the latest in a long struggle to fairly compensate music creators—is the streaming services recent filing of notice to appeal the Copyright Royalty Board's increase in streaming rates paid to publishers. Since these platforms are making more money than ever, can't they work together with music makers to ensure that creation of the very product they pedal—music—is healthy and sustainable?
"For Billie in particular it's really exciting because she is such a big part of the Apple artist community and someone the whole company has really rallied around. It's amazing to see the positive reaction from our subscribers."
These subscribers across all platforms amounted to 255 million paying listeners worldwide in 2018, and streaming accounted for 47 percent of the $19 billion in global music sales. If a fair amount of this income makes its way back to the music creators, everybody wins, not just the songwriters and publishers, but also the platforms who rely on new releases to stay relevant and ultimately the listeners willing to pay to enjoy the music they love.
Yolanda Adams & More GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards Honorees Announced
"Conversations in Advocacy" is your weekend digital tip sheet on music advocacy and the policies that affect music makers and their craft. New installments post every Friday.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.)
Photo: Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images
Wyden Continues Hold on CASE Act case-act-update-why-won%E2%80%99t-senator-wyden-support-music-makers
CASE Act Update: Why Won't Senator Wyden Support Music Makers?
A new billboard, an enlightening op-ed and a mounting online surge of support for music creators are all asking: why won't Oregon's Sen. Wyden release his hold on the bill?
The Copyright Alternative Small Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act) has gained bipartisan backing and widespread support from across the creative community – so why hasn't this bill become law? Sen. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.) continues his hold on the bill, unwilling to compromise.
https://twitter.com/GRAMMYAdvocacy/status/1207503575770898432
#DidYouKnow Senator @RonWyden is preventing young, indy artists/songwriters from protecting their music? He's single-handedly blocking the #CASEAct from a vote in DC. Click to #AskWydenWhy he won't support the arts ➡ https://t.co/Q9238nnrH8 pic.twitter.com/oyj7nQMgFB
— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) December 19, 2019
Fortunately, a surge of grassroots activism from many types of creatives, including music creators, is turning up the heat on Sen. Wyden. Oregonians and creators across the country alike have built increase online activity to pressure Sen. Wyden to reconsider and remove the hold, including the hashtag #JustOne designed to highlight that only one lawmaker is standing in the way of this bill becoming law.
Most notably, a new billboard went up near Sen. Wyden's office in Portland that draws attention to Wyden's hold on the creative community. Additionally, an op-ed ran today in the The Oregonian titled "Sen. Wyden, Please Don't Harm Oregon's Music Scene." Written by four current and past Recording Academy leaders, including Stone, Sylvia Massey, Amy Dragon and Amber Sweeney, outlines why the CASE Act is, "A vital piece of legislation that will empower music creators."
Everyone from photographers to filmmakers to creative small business owners will be able to efficiently protect what they create through the #CASEAct.https://t.co/e5x7DB2bfR
— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) November 7, 2019
"Indie creators are uniquely vulnerable to the realities of the modern music industry. With the massive expense of litigation to protect intellectual property, they are crushed under the weight of a copyright system which leaves music creators unable to claim ownership of what's rightfully theirs," the article states, concluding with, "Will Sen. Wyden support the music creators in our state, or will he go down in history as the senator who killed this important bill?"
As part of the rollout of the billboard, which went up earlier this week, Oregon creators shared their reasoning for erecting it during a press briefing today where they further articulated their frustrations with Sen. Wyden's continued hold on the bill.
Participating in the briefing are several members of Oregon's creative community, including MIT Portraits' Bryan Welsh, photographer Lisa Dillon, Executive Director of Music Portland Meara McLaughlin, Polara Studios' Michael Shay, Immediate Past President of Oregon Professional Photographers Association and Light Science Studios' Sam Tarrel, as well as producer, vocalist, DJ and former Recording Academy Trustee Tyler Stone.
This diverse and passionate roster participants in today's briefing are a testament to the impact the hold on the bill has on creators in Oregon and beyond.
https://twitter.com/Oregonian/status/1217485037655990272
GUEST OPINION: Sen. Wyden, please don't harm Oregon's music scene https://t.co/iNcYMjAe1j pic.twitter.com/JS01cha4zT
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) January 15, 2020
The CASE Act would fix the current system makes it expensive and complex for creators to fight against infringement of their work in a federal court by setting up a simpler and more streamlined small claims court. The bill recently passed by a landslide 410-6 vote in the House and will move to the Senate next. Sen. Ron Wyden's hold might come as little surprise, considering he also previously opposed the Music Modernization Act (MMA).
Indeed, the critical question remains whether Sen. Wyden will continue to decide the fate of the CASE Act. Now is the time to contact Sen. Wyden to let him know you stand with the bill that will simplify and streamline the process for all creators to defend their work against infringement.
What's Ahead In 2020 For Music Creators' Rights?