On Tuesday, June 27, Belmont hosted the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet for the congressional field hearing, “Five Years Later – The Music Modernization Act.” The hearing examined the impact of the Music Modernization Act (MMA), which was signed into law in 2018, along with the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) and royalties for recordings prior to 1972.
The landmark legislation updates licensing and royalties for streaming music and changes how digital music platforms (i.e.: Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Pandora, etc.) acquire licenses for broadcasting music. In addition, the act improves the way rights holders can receive royalty payments for the streaming and distribution of their music.
Prior to the hearing, Curb College Dean Brittany Schaffer and faculty held a brief reception for the congressional committee members to meet with key alumni and industry partners.
“Music can be many things to many people, and this centrality to the human experience makes it even more important that the music industry is and remains healthy for every link the production chain,” said ranking committee member Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA).
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), a co-sponsor of the legislation added, “Music nourishes the soul. It expresses powerful ideas and emotions and connects us across cultures. It is also an important driver of economic activity. According to one estimate, the music industry contributes an estimated $170 billion to the American economy, supporting [directly or indirectly] 2.7 million jobs. It is clear that artists, consumers and businesses all depend on a healthy music industry to thrive.”
The hearing invited six industry professionals to share their testimonies to explore whether the legislation is operating as intended by Congress and possible reforms. Witnesses included:
- David Porter: award-winning songwriter and producer; 2005 Inductee, Songwriters Hall of Fame
- Kris Ahrend: CEO, Mechanical Licensing Collective
- Garrett Levin: President & CEO, Digital Media Association
- Michael Molinar: General Manager, Big Machine Music
- Abby North: President, North Music Group; Co-Founder, Unchained Melody Publishing
- Daniel Tashian: award-winning songwriter, producer, and musician
Prior to the hearing, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) on Monday held a round-table discussion at Belmont for key industry executives on AI within the music industry where Dean Schaffer was invited to represent the University.
