Next Big HIt

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Radio in America has been given a free ride for over 80 years. Songwriters get paid when their songs are played on the radio, but the Performing Artists, Musicians and Producers ARE NOT COMPENSATED from Radio in any way. While the industry has lobbied for this MANY times over the 80 years, Radio has never been willing to negotiate, and used their tremendous lobbying power to prevent this from happening. I had my doubts about it actually happening this time as well, but then the Obama Administration actually came out in support of this yesterday. If you don’t know how rare it is for politicians to take interest in artistic areas, read Mark Twain’s autobiography to see how “the more things change, the more things just stay the same.” But we need everyone’s support. Please sign the MUSICfirst coalition’s petition here: http://www.musicfirstcoalition.org/node/708 and then read on for other reasons this is important!Sure the big Multi-Platinum Artists and Producers aren’t hurting for money, but they are NOT the only ones who benefit. As a songwriter I get some small royalty checks every year from a few sources that add up to a couple thousand some years. Not a fortune, but it goes a LONG WAY to helping me make my bottom line. Here are some beneficiaries if the bill gets passed. Musicians: Right now musicians (and background singers) get a fee for recording in the studio. Once. More and more the unions have lost control, so that’s it. I have a friend who made almost $20,000 in Radio Performance Royalties for playing keys on a hit that went top 5 in several European countries. His original fee? Less than $1000. (European radio will not pay American artists, because the US is the ONLY country that doesn’t pay performance rights to artists…. I guess they missed that my friend is American…) Songwriters: Many US artists are reluctant to record songs they didn’t write, or ask for “writing credit” on a song they are performing simply because it is the only way they will be paid. If artists can make money for radio play, I fully believe more artists will be interested in recording a hit… wherever it comes from. My evidence? The overseas market! Many more artists over there are willing to record songs they didn’t write. Producers: Not every producer is getting paid $100,000 for a song. Under recording copyright, Artists and Producers split ownership of the Sound Recording Copyright. More and more smaller productions are breaking through due to the internet, and many producers have done their work for VERY little money. At least if something takes off, they can breathe, knowing they *might* make some money without a lawsuit!

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