Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney and Mark Ronson are among 180 artists who have shot an open letter to the Congress as an appeal to reform the outdated DMCA law.
Veteran artist manager and longtime supporter of artists’ rights, Irving Azoff has gathered the support of other major artists along with the three music labels — Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music in their fight against tech companies, particularly YouTube. According to them, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act passed in 1998 is outdated and hence gives certain players in the industry an unfair advantage over profits while artists and songwriters continue to struggle in making money.
Although the letter mentions tech companies, it is mainly aimed at Google’s video site, who Azoff believes generates billions for the music industry but safeguards under the DMCA prevent that money to reach the creators of the music.
This is the first time that such a huge number of artists and other music organizations like ASCAP, BMI, Global Music Rights, NARAS, RIAA, SESAC, Sony/ATV, Sony Music, SoundExchange, Universal Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell and Warner Music Group have joined hands in their rally against tech companies. They believe that “major tech companies to grow and generate huge profits by creating ease of use for consumers to carry almost every recorded song in history in their pocket via a smartphone, while songwriters’ and artists’ earnings continue to diminish. Music consumption has skyrocketed, but the monies earned by individual writers and artists for that consumption has plummeted.”
“This is a historic moment in the music business,” said Irving Azoff, chairman and CEO of Azoff MSG Entertainment, in a statement. “This diverse group of artists coming together illustrates that this is a movement, which should not be underestimated. In all my years, this is the only time I can remember everyone — artists, songwriters, managers, labels, publishers, PROs — agreeing and collectively calling for change. This is just the beginning. The entire industry is united and committed to pursuing a fair resolution. We are fighting for the future.”
Azoff believes that if YouTube doesn’t give music makers the share of profits they want, then the music labels will take their music away from YouTube.
Here’s the full text of the letter:
DEAR CONGRESS: THE DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA) IS BROKEN AND NO LONGER WORKS FOR CREATORS
As songwriters and artists who are a vital contributing force to the U.S. and to American exports around the world, we are writing to express our concern about the ability of the next generation of creators to earn a living. The existing laws threaten the continued viability of songwriters and recording artists to survive from the creation of music. Aspiring creators shouldn’t have to decide between making music and making a living. Please protect them.
One of the biggest problems confronting songwriters and recording artists today is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This law was written and passed in an era that is technologically out-of-date compared to the era in which we live. It has allowed major tech companies to grow and generate huge profits by creating ease of use for consumers to carry almost every recorded song in history in their pocket via a smartphone, while songwriters’ and artists’ earnings continue to diminish. Music consumption has skyrocketed, but the monies earned by individual writers and artists for that consumption has plummeted.
The DMCA simply doesn’t work. It’s impossible for tens of thousands of individual songwriters and artists to muster the resources necessary to comply with its application. The tech companies who benefit from the DMCA today were not the intended protectorate when it was signed into law nearly two decades ago. We ask you to enact sensible reform that balances the interests of creators with the interests of the companies who exploit music for their financial enrichment. It’s only then that consumers will truly benefit.
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