Chris Castle interviews Flo & Eddie/Turtles class action lawyer Henry Gradstein about the history of pre-72 recordings, Flo & Eddie’s class action against SiriusXM and the proposed class action settlement for indie labels.
Two former heads of the U.S. Copyright Office sent the following letter to the chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees in sharp criticism of the abrupt and possibly actionable sacking of Maria Pallante, the former head of the U.S. Copyright Office. (The job title is “Register of Copyrights”.) The letter attaches a detailed […]
Big congratulations to Flo & Eddie (aka The Turtles) and class counsel Henry Gradstein for a great settlement in their indie label class action against SiriusXM for pre-72 sound recordings. The settlement is a guaranteed $25 million payment against a 5.5% license for 10 years which is worth between $45.47 million to $59.2 million assuming […]
“Whenever you listen to a streamed song, like it but don’t buy it, and instead stream it again – especially on YouTube – you are casting a vote for the future nonexistence of professional musicians.”
“Our vision goes beyond just selling tickets as we aim to disrupt the entire live entertainment experience, including what happens before, during and after the show. The ticketing business is ripe for innovation and improvement, as much of the industry has not fundamentally changed since the 1970s”. via Amazon Steals from Songwriters, Profits from Piracy and […]
With ASCAP and BMI still under unaltered consent decrees and SESAC agreeing to rate-setting arbitration in a 2015 settlement, the Radio Music Licensing Committee (RMLC) is going for the grand slam with an antitrust lawsuit against boutique performance rights organization Global Music Rights. via @edchristman: Commercial Radio Group Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Irving Azoff’s Global Music […]
I was always a huge Leonard Cohen fan both as an author (especially Beautiful Losers), songwriter and performer. Leonard’s songwriting highlights what is quintessentially good about great songwriters–they write songs that are the constants that echo through generations and upheavals, and great ones find their way into the groundwater. It’s an achievement to write one great […]
Google’s unprecedented Obama Administration influence and its self-serving anti-employment, anti-property, and pro-regulatory policy agenda, are on a collision course with the job-creating, pro-property, deregulatory Trump Administration growth agenda. Keep watch to see who adapts to whom and how. via @scleland: How Google Is Anti-employment Anti-property & Pro-regulation — Artist Rights Watch
David Lowery and Chris Castle discuss Pallante firing, DOJ appeal of 100% Licensing Ruling and Artist Advocacy
With views in the millions, it’s time for Facebook to answer songwriters’ friend request and properly license their platform. Otherwise, it may find itself de-friended by the music industry.
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