More Reaction To Passage Of The Music Modernization Act

Congress Joins Senate In Approving MMA

Last night (NET NEWS 9/25), ALL ACCESS reported THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES had unanimously passed THE MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT (MMA), one week after the SENATE did the same (NET NEWS 9/18). The bill, now called the ORRIN G. HATCH-BOB GOODLATTE MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT, will now be sent to PRESIDENT TRUMP’s desk for his signature. It represents the first reform of music copyright law in years.

The reaction to the bill's passage continues to roll in. iHEARTMEDIA told ALL ACCESS, "Passage of the ORRIN G. HATCH – BOB GOODLATTE MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT (MMA) is a testament to the fact that meaningful reforms are achievable when all stakeholders – creators, distributors, and consumers of music – work together to effect positive change. Once enacted, the numerous reforms made by the MMA will make significant improvements in the licensing of music, spurring innovation and more options for consumers. iHEARTMEDIA applauds the SENATORS and members of CONGRESS and their staffs whose efforts made this achievement possible, and particularly appreciates CONGRESS' full bipartisan and bicameral support for preserving the competitive safeguards of the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees, which have been instrumental in fostering the world’s most vibrant music market."

BMI Pres./CEO MIKE O’NEILL said, "Today, the U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES passed the final version of the MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT, now known as the ORRIN G. HATCH-BOB GOODLATTE MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT. We are now one step away from enacting comprehensive copyright reform that will benefit AMERICAN music creators for generations to come, while simplifying the licensing process for music streaming services. We would like to thank our music industry partners, the diverse businesses that utilize music, the bipartisan legislators, and the highly engaged, passionate community of songwriters and composers, all of whom together championed this bill to protect the future of music in our nation. We hope to be able to celebrate the final passage of this historic bill into law in the near future.”

The MIC COALITION commented, "The unanimous passage of the ORRIN G. HATCH-BOB GOODLATTE MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT (MMA) in both the HOUSE and SENATE is an important step in showing that consensus is achievable among music licensing stakeholders. We urge the President to quickly sign the MMA, which includes important provisions related to CONGRESS’ concerns about the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) potentially terminating the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees, into law. The consensus that led to the MMA should serve as a model to address other longstanding music licensing issues, like pursuing transparency and simplicity in the multi-billion dollar performing rights licensing industry."

“Today CONGRESS officially passed the MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT, giving AMERICAN songwriters real hope for fair royalty compensation in the future,” said songwriter STEVE BOGARD, President of the NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL.

“It has been a long, long journey,” said NSAI Exec. Dir. BART HERBISON who added, “But in many ways the journey has really just begun. After the PRESIDENT signs the legislation into law, songwriters and music publishers being a two-year process to create a new licensing agency that they will oversee. Controlling that process is very important and, along with tools to achieve higher streaming royalty rates, makes the MMA the most important bill for songwriters in history.”

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