DiMA June Playlist Newsletter 2023
1. Spotlight: Five Years later – The Music Modernization Act
DiMA President and CEO, Garrett Levin
On June 27, 2023, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a field hearing in Nashville, Tennessee, titled “Five Years Later – The Music Modernization Act.” DiMA President and CEO Garrett Levin testified on behalf of the world’s leading audio streaming companies. Levin’s comments, alongside those of five other witnesses, highlighted the importance of the Music Modernization Act, DiMA’s ongoing support of the law, and ways to continue improving the system to ensure that it meets the needs of all stakeholders.
Key takeaways from the proceeding:
- The key tenets of the MMA – the blanket license, the centralized and authoritative database, the limitation on liability, extensive reporting requirements, and increased efficiency in licensing and royalty payments – are fundamentally working.
- Industry should continue to diligently identify areas for improvement to reach the full potential and intention of the law.
- The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) is intended to be a neutral administrator balancing the interests of songwriters, publishers, and streaming services.
- When necessary, the MLC should seek clarification from the Copyright Office and rely on the authority the MMA granted to the Office.
- When the MMA passed Congress, it was described on multiple occasions as a once-in-a-generation measure to improve the licensing system. Five years in, that is still true.
View the full hearing and witness testimonies here.
Read Subcommittee Chairman Issa’s guest column in Variety, here.
2. Tune In: Black Music Month 2023
As part of our celebration of Black Music Month, DiMA collaborated with industry leaders, Members of Congress, and music experts to recognize the Black community’s invaluable contributions to music and culture. DiMA connected with Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) and Pandora’s Vice President of Music Programming, Joshua “J1” Raiford, to talk about the influence of Black artists and their impact on music. The conversation highlighted music’s ability to empower people through representation.
DiMA also asked Dr. Dwandalyn R. Reece, Associate Director for Humanities at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and music curator and educator Mark Puryear to offer insights into the history of Black music as part of our ongoing work to look at ways music streaming can open doors to past eras and underrecognized artists.
Access the interview with Rep. Ivey and the accompanying playlist here.
Access Dr. Reece’s blog and playlist here.
Access Mr. Puryear’s blog and playlist here.
3. Celebrate: Pride Month 2023
In celebration of Pride Month, DiMA curated a playlist of tracks representing LGBTQIA+ artists through the years, accessible on your favorite music streaming platforms. The playlist is an example of how streaming’s unique ability to connect artists with new audiences has amplified the community-building power of music, bringing more and more incredible music from the LGBTQIA+ community to fans around the world. Take the time to check out playlists on DiMA’s members’ platforms featuring LGBTQIA+ Artists and Advocates.
Access the playlist and read more about how streaming is empowering the LGBTQIA+ community here.
See how DiMA’s member companies are using the power of streaming to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community by creating unique, interactive resources for streamers and artists, here.
4. AI and Copyright – Music and Sound Recordings
On May 31st, the U.S. Copyright Office held a listening session on “AI and Copyright – Music and Sound Recordings” as part of an ongoing series about AI. DiMA President and CEO participated in the listening session, discussing data challenges, ongoing questions, and the development of new technology in the music industry. Levin’s opening statement from the listening session can be found here. View the full session here.
Follow DiMA (@digitalmediausa) on Twitter to follow the conversation.
