Songwriters understandably hate this, but they have almost no power to stop it. The reason is that despite incredibly low payouts, it’s nearly impossible for songwriters to remove their catalogs from Pandora, or even negotiate better terms. The complicated explanation has to do with a century of antiquated laws that basically force songwriters to license their content at fractional rates, and like it.
Last year, a number of prominent songwriters protested on Capitol Hill, with emotional performances designed to combat lower royalty rates. This year, they’re exercising the nuclear option by introducing legislation to change the laws. This bill, introduced this morning, is called the Songwriter Equity Act, with Congressman Doug Collins sponsoring.
Essentially, the bill attempts to plug two massive loopholes in copyright law that greatly benefit Pandora but essentially screw songwriters. ”Roughly two-thirds of a songwriter’s income is heavily regulated by law or through outdated government oversight,” National Music Publishers’ Association CEO David Israelite told Digital Music News. ”This legislation addresses two significant inequities under current copyright law that prevent songwriters and music publishers from receiving compensation that reflects the fair market value of their work.”
Buzz Track: Won’t Get Over You
Singer-songwriter MaryBeth Doran has set out on her own crafting hauntingly beautiful, soulful songs driven by powerful melodies and memorable lyrics. She has teamed up with producer Kieran Kelly (Sufjan Stevens, Angus & Julia Stone, Rhett Miller) to record her debut full length album. She is endorsed by Gibson and has been featured on NBC’s Jimmy Lloyd Songwriter Showcase, Italian Vogue, The Huffington Post, Radar Online, among others. You can check her out out February 26th at Room 5 in Los Angeles.
Contact: brandon@clarkentlaw.com
It’s safe to say that Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” is a major hit.
The alternative rock band’s song just made Billboard Hot 100 chart history, breaking the record for the longest run on the list.
This week, the song recorded it’s 77th week on the chart.
“It’s unbelievable,” Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds told Billboard. “There are few things more satisfying as an artist than seeing your music have longevity. But, we could never have expected to see one of our songs have legs like this.”
“People seem to be connecting to it in personal ways, which is exactly what we hoped for,” he continued. “We’ve been out on the road and focused on touring for a long time. Somewhere along the way, we started to realize the song was taking on a life of its own.”
Buzz Track: Heartbeat
PRIME, an indie-pop rock band based in NYC will release their debut EP this April, the first catchy single being Heartbeat. The duo falls in the vein of Bruno Mars, Imagine Dragons, and One Republic. The band is comprised of vocalist and songwriter Paul Benedict, and instrumentalist and songwriter Bryan Christopher. A artist to watch…
Contact: press@prime-band.com
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