Guest Editorial from Savannah Music Group
Jeff Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO, Dave Gibson, Co-Founder and CCO, Laurie Spoon, VP/GM; http://www.savannahmusicgroup.com
Last week, apparently fearful that congress would pass a mandate this winter, the National Association of Broadcasters produced a set of what it called “proposed terms of consideration,” allowing for performance royalties, monies paid to artists and musicians by the radio industry for airing their work. While this system exists in Europe, historically, in this country, music has aired without payment in consideration for its promotional value.
Politicians might be well advised to not interfere with the music business.
Savannah Music Group is an independent publishing and record company. We fully support existing writers’ and publishers’ royalties. We think that performance royalties are a bad idea for the beleaguered radio industry, which is where most people first hear music that they later purchase or performing groups whose concerts they later attend.
Our songwriters and artists depend on radio airplay for their success. Radio industry spokespeople have testified in numerous public forums that a performance royalty will result in fewer stations playing music, and airplay being further concentrated on already established artists. While this may benefit the major multi-national record companies, it will make it more difficult for new music and new artists to get the radio exposure they need to be successful and therefore put small companies like Savannah and our artists at a competitive disadvantage. Some musicians are supporting this measure in hopes of receiving royalties for airplay, not realizing that their opportunities to be hired for future sessions will dry up as the airplay diminishes.
Some songwriters support this measure in solidarity with their colleagues in the music business, having been mollified by a provision in the legislation which protects their existing royalties from radio. However, these songwriters will lose net income from broadcast radio when the number of stations playing music decreases.
We are grateful for the support that radio has given Savannah’s music and artists. Should a performance royalty be mandated by Congress, artists and labels must have the opportunity to opt out and let their records be played free of charge by radio, with an appropriate reduction in the proposed tiered rate proportional to the amount of license free music played. Record companies and artists that don’t agree with charging radio for airplay should not be forced by the government to do so.
Here is the NAB Aug. 6 statement on which the above editorial is based.
WASHINGTON, DC -The NAB Radio Board met today in Washington for an educational update on the status of ongoing discussions between broadcast industry representatives and representatives of musicFirst. In order to ensure accuracy in reports of the ongoing discussions, NAB is providing a one-page fact sheet below. In addition, the following statement can be attributed to NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton:
“The NAB Radio Board had a full and productive exchange of ideas today on the status of discussions with musicFirst representatives. The talks are part of an ongoing dialogue with the Board and NAB membership on possible alternatives to pending legislation that would be devastating to the future of free and local radio. No votes were taken at today’s Board meeting. The Board reiterated its strong opposition to the pending bill in Congress, while agreeing that it is appropriate for NAB representatives to continue discussions with musicFirst. Interested parties will be updated quickly if and when new developments emerge.”
PROPOSED Terms Under Consideration in Performance Tax Discussion
In 2009, Rep. John Conyers (MI-14) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT) introduced the Performance Rights Act (PRA) in the House and Senate, respectively. The legislation was voted out of the respective Judiciary Committees and has the support of certain members of congressional leadership.
Broadcasters’ counter resolution – the Local Radio Freedom Act – garnered significant support, which has helped prevent further movement on PRA.
At the direction of House and Senate leaders in late 2009, NAB met with MusicFirst – representing artists, labels and unions. To date discussions have yielded the following potential terms. These terms have NOT BEEN AGREED TO, but are under discussion by the industry.
They include:
–Tiered rate of 1% or less for all net revenue (roughly $100 million for the industry) which is permanent and can not be adjusted without changing statute or by mutual agreement
–PERMANENT removal of CRB jurisdiction for terrestrial and streaming
–Streaming rate reduction from current rates
–Inclusion of radio chips on all mobile phones
–AFTRA issues resolved (agency commercial replacement on webcasts)
The tiered rate of 1% or less for all net revenue would be as follows:
–Commercial and non-profit stations with revenue less than $50,000 annually would pay the lesser of $100 or 1% of revenue annually
–Commercial and non-profit stations with revenue between $50,000 to $100,000 annually would pay $500 annually
–Non-profit stations with revenue more than $100,000 annually would pay $1,000 annually
–Commercial stations with revenue between $100,000 to $500,000 annually would pay the lesser of $2,500 or 1% of revenue annually
–Commercial stations with revenue between $500,000 to $1,250,000 annually would pay $5,000 annually
–Commercial stations with revenue more than $1,250,000 annually would pay 1% of revenue annually
It is important to note that stations with incidental music use – news, talk and sports radio – would not pay for music. Additionally, religious services – not religious music – would be exempt from music fees.
The above referenced rates would be permanently fixed by statute and can only be changed by act of Congress or joint agreement between both parties.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.
Jesse Lee
/by ProgrammerPlaylistAtlantic/WMN
“Like My Mother Does” is the debut single for new artist Jesse Lee, and her upcoming album will be released by Atlantic Records. The song is a tribute to a mother-daughter relationship that represents Jesse’s own relationship with her mom. “My mom’s my best friend, so when I’m singing that song, I’m coming from a very real place,” says Jesse. “When I played it the first time for her, she cried.”
The yet-to-be-titled album is a mix of traditional and contemporary country, aided by Grammy Award winning producers Mark Bright (Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts), Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift), and Paul Worley (Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride). Jesse’s songwriting collaborators include American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, as well as Hillary Lindsey (Carrie Underwood) and Liz Rose (Taylor Swift), who co-wrote “Like My Mother Does” with Chapman.
Born in California and raised in Florida, Jesse grew up with a deep appreciation for country music. By her early teenage years, Jesse was opening shows for artists such as Ronnie Milsap, Willie Nelson, Keith Urban, and Clay Walker and spending extended periods of time recording and performing in Music City. After high school, she enrolled in Belmont University’s music business program and was able to perform at famed Nashville venues like the Bluebird Café and the Ryman Auditorium.
http://www.jesseleemusic.com/
http://www.facebook.com/jesselee
[wpaudio url=”https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/10200706/jlee-lmmd.mp3″ text=”Jesse Lee – Like My Mother Does” dl=”0″ autoplay=”1″]
Can Karl Dean’s industry think tank rebrand Music City?
/by contributor[Nashville Scene] Nearly everyone can agree on why Nashville should be considered a world-class city and a music-business player in the same league as New York or L.A.: We’re the cradle of country music, the citadel of contemporary Christian. We’re home to many of the most skilled session players, songwriters, producers and engineers in the world.
And yet, touring bands make a beeline from Louisville to Atlanta — around us. When it comes to local bands, the national media suffers from some kind of amnesia: By the time the next one hits, they seem startled all over again to learn Nashville breeds something more than country music. It doesn’t matter who moves here, or who makes the pop crossover of the decade, or who sells more than 24 million digital tracks while the rest of the industry is throwing up its hands: For anything other than country, the Music City brand stops at the Music City limits.
Everybody knows we belong at the top of the big leagues — everybody in Nashville, anyway. What’s harder to pin down is why the rest of the world doesn’t seem to agree.
But for the past year, at Mayor Karl Dean’s behest, a think-tank of music-industry heavyweights has been asking the question: What will it take to give the Music City brand across-the-board weight? What will make Nashville a destination not just for tourists, but for the creative class that gives cities a cool cachet that translates into increased revenue and real-estate values?
Known as the Nashville Music Council, the mayor’s group amounts to a Justice League of music-business honchos, supplemented by up-and-comers from the trenches who make up in enthusiasm and ideas what they lack in connections. They’ve addressed themselves to a common topic — what’ll it take? — and applied it to a variety of fronts: industry development, venues, education, even public transportation.
Now a year into its existence, the council has many in the Nashville music community scratching their heads and wondering exactly who they are and what, if anything, they’re accomplishing. As an advisory board to the mayor — like the Health Care Council — they’ve managed to split into four subcommittees: branding, creative talent, live music and music education. And so far, a cynic might say, that is their greatest accomplishment.
But there are looming developments that may answer the project’s critics. The council is still wading through minutiae in an exploratory phase that, while time-consuming, could well be worth the wait. As a whole, it’s a big brain, rich with ideas, eager to work, full of power — but rife with question marks. While the council and the mayor are no doubt developing the biggest picture yet of Music City, it’s only slowly coming into focus. Keep reading.
First Listen To Aldean’s Latest
/by Sarah Skates“This song is all about workin’ for the weekend…my fans work hard, so they can rip it up when Saturday rolls around,” says Aldean. “I hope they hear this one and want to turn it up…we put a little extra juice on the electric guitars just for that reason.”
The new album is the follow up to his 2009 Platinum-selling Wide Open. Aldean’s first three albums have sold more than 3.5 million copies and spawned nine smash hits including “She’s Country,” “Big Green Tractor,” “The Truth,” “Why” and “Hicktown.” As a tour headliner, he has broken venue attendance records and continues to sell-out arenas across the country. Aldean recently extended his Wide Open tour into the fall with an additional 25 dates.
Aldean at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Coumbia MD with WMZQ/WPOC PD Meg Stevens.
Page Kelley Joins Milom Joyce Horsnell Crow
/by Sarah SkatesPage Kelley
Milom Joyce Horsnell Crow PLC has welcomed attorney D. Page Kelley III to the firm. Kelley, a veteran music business attorney most recently with Baker & Kelley, brings his individual and corporate music clients to MJHC’s established entertainment, intellectual property, media and technology practice. He has joined Mike Milom, Robin Mitchell Joyce, Chris Horsnell, David Crow and Natalya Rose in the 3310 West End Avenue office.
Kelley, Milom, Joyce and Horsnell enjoyed a previous association when, in 1994, Kelley left his in-house counsel position with Arista Records/New York and joined Wyatt, Tarrant & Comb’s Entertainment and Intellectual Property Group in Nashville.
In 1997, Kelley accepted an in-house position with Arista Records/Nashville, moving to Word Entertainment as Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs in 2000 and returning to private practice in 2002.
Milom, Joyce, Horsnell and Crow launched MJHC in October 2007 after six years at Bass Berry and Sims. With the addition of Kelley, MJHC expands its nearly 40 years of consecutive experience.
Web Videos Lead Up To Music Festival Special
/by Sarah SkatesThrough September 1, ABC.com will launch over 20 online videos featuring CMA Music Festival fan favorites Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Eric Church, Gloriana, Julianne Hough, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, and more. The online videos will be added to the Festival’s official website, www.CMAfest.com, on Friday, Aug. 13.
In the video series, Bentley takes viewers into his late night fan club party; Aldean gives an exclusive look at his “huddle” with the band to get pumped up before performing at LP Field; Gloriana shows off their “bus mascot” given to them by Taylor Swift; and noted practical joker Shelton makes a special “request” of Pickler to watch his dogs and his mother while he heads out to perform. In a special video where “stars give back” to the fans, viewers get to witness Laura Bell Bundy cleaning up after fans and Gloriana on janitorial duty.
“We went to a lot of fan club parties with artists, and we spent a great deal of time filming on their buses or even at their houses to give that exclusive feeling and intimacy,” said David Beebe ABC Director of Video Production. “We talked with a wide range of artists from the names you would expect to see and a lot of up-and-coming acts as well.”
Hosted by Tim McGraw, the CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock television special features performances by Adkins, Aldean, Bentley, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, McGraw, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Rucker, Shelton, Taylor Swift, Turner, Carrie Underwood, Uncle Kracker, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.
CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock is executive produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson.
Indie Label Against Performance Royalties
/by adminGuest Editorial from Savannah Music Group
Jeff Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO, Dave Gibson, Co-Founder and CCO, Laurie Spoon, VP/GM; http://www.savannahmusicgroup.com
Politicians might be well advised to not interfere with the music business.
Savannah Music Group is an independent publishing and record company. We fully support existing writers’ and publishers’ royalties. We think that performance royalties are a bad idea for the beleaguered radio industry, which is where most people first hear music that they later purchase or performing groups whose concerts they later attend.
Our songwriters and artists depend on radio airplay for their success. Radio industry spokespeople have testified in numerous public forums that a performance royalty will result in fewer stations playing music, and airplay being further concentrated on already established artists. While this may benefit the major multi-national record companies, it will make it more difficult for new music and new artists to get the radio exposure they need to be successful and therefore put small companies like Savannah and our artists at a competitive disadvantage. Some musicians are supporting this measure in hopes of receiving royalties for airplay, not realizing that their opportunities to be hired for future sessions will dry up as the airplay diminishes.
Some songwriters support this measure in solidarity with their colleagues in the music business, having been mollified by a provision in the legislation which protects their existing royalties from radio. However, these songwriters will lose net income from broadcast radio when the number of stations playing music decreases.
We are grateful for the support that radio has given Savannah’s music and artists. Should a performance royalty be mandated by Congress, artists and labels must have the opportunity to opt out and let their records be played free of charge by radio, with an appropriate reduction in the proposed tiered rate proportional to the amount of license free music played. Record companies and artists that don’t agree with charging radio for airplay should not be forced by the government to do so.
Here is the NAB Aug. 6 statement on which the above editorial is based.
WASHINGTON, DC -The NAB Radio Board met today in Washington for an educational update on the status of ongoing discussions between broadcast industry representatives and representatives of musicFirst. In order to ensure accuracy in reports of the ongoing discussions, NAB is providing a one-page fact sheet below. In addition, the following statement can be attributed to NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton:
“The NAB Radio Board had a full and productive exchange of ideas today on the status of discussions with musicFirst representatives. The talks are part of an ongoing dialogue with the Board and NAB membership on possible alternatives to pending legislation that would be devastating to the future of free and local radio. No votes were taken at today’s Board meeting. The Board reiterated its strong opposition to the pending bill in Congress, while agreeing that it is appropriate for NAB representatives to continue discussions with musicFirst. Interested parties will be updated quickly if and when new developments emerge.”
PROPOSED Terms Under Consideration in Performance Tax Discussion
In 2009, Rep. John Conyers (MI-14) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT) introduced the Performance Rights Act (PRA) in the House and Senate, respectively. The legislation was voted out of the respective Judiciary Committees and has the support of certain members of congressional leadership.
Broadcasters’ counter resolution – the Local Radio Freedom Act – garnered significant support, which has helped prevent further movement on PRA.
At the direction of House and Senate leaders in late 2009, NAB met with MusicFirst – representing artists, labels and unions. To date discussions have yielded the following potential terms. These terms have NOT BEEN AGREED TO, but are under discussion by the industry.
They include:
–Tiered rate of 1% or less for all net revenue (roughly $100 million for the industry) which is permanent and can not be adjusted without changing statute or by mutual agreement
–PERMANENT removal of CRB jurisdiction for terrestrial and streaming
–Streaming rate reduction from current rates
–Inclusion of radio chips on all mobile phones
–AFTRA issues resolved (agency commercial replacement on webcasts)
The tiered rate of 1% or less for all net revenue would be as follows:
–Commercial and non-profit stations with revenue less than $50,000 annually would pay the lesser of $100 or 1% of revenue annually
–Commercial and non-profit stations with revenue between $50,000 to $100,000 annually would pay $500 annually
–Non-profit stations with revenue more than $100,000 annually would pay $1,000 annually
–Commercial stations with revenue between $100,000 to $500,000 annually would pay the lesser of $2,500 or 1% of revenue annually
–Commercial stations with revenue between $500,000 to $1,250,000 annually would pay $5,000 annually
–Commercial stations with revenue more than $1,250,000 annually would pay 1% of revenue annually
It is important to note that stations with incidental music use – news, talk and sports radio – would not pay for music. Additionally, religious services – not religious music – would be exempt from music fees.
The above referenced rates would be permanently fixed by statute and can only be changed by act of Congress or joint agreement between both parties.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.
Shelton’s Second Six Pak Out Today
/by Sarah SkatesAnother advantage of the frequent release schedule can be extra media appearances. Shelton made the ABC and NBC morning show rounds in March and is scheduled to return to perform on Good Morning America, and chat with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb on The Today Show on August 12.
Beginning today, GAC is running the exclusive series, 30 Days of Blake, leading up to the 90-minute concert special Blake Shelton LIVE: It’s All About Tonight on September 8. Shelton is also set for several more appearances on GAC, as well as CMT. He is in the current issues of Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, Us Weekly and also has a four-page spread in People Country about his engagement to Miranda Lambert.
Meanwhile, Shelton’s “Take 6 Tuesday” videos continue this week with the appropriately titled “Top 6 Things That Come in 6s,” at www.blakeshelton.com. And Shelton’s new Walmart Soundcheck performance includes tracks from All About Tonight, along with a free MP3 download of the title track, available until 8/24 here.
Keith On Cover Of New “People Country”
/by Sarah SkatesClick for more.
The new issue of People Country is on newsstands, with Toby Keith grinning on the cover. Inside the star gives a tour of his 160-acre Oklahoma ranch Dream Walkin’ Farms. He and wife of 27 years, Tricia, have spent 12 years creating their dream home which includes an 8,900-sq.-ft. main house, stocked pond, eight-car two-story garage and racquetball court.
Also inside—the scoop on Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s engagement party at publicist Kathy Best’s Front Porch Farms outside Nashville. Among the guests were Trace Adkins, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Martina McBride who all took turns at the karaoke mic. Lambert tells People, “Our favorite presents were matching flasks and matching shotguns (gifts from their agents). We were outside the city limits, so we went right out of the tent and tried them out—it’s a real shotgun wedding!”
Kenny Chesney wrote an article for the issue recalling his two years playing high school football and how making the team helped shape the man he is today.
The September issue also features a behind-the-scenes look at Trace Adkins’ lakeside home, Kix Brooks’ tree-house, Emily West’s decorating secrets, new photos from Carrie Underwood’s wedding, and details on Kellie Pickler’s engagement to songwriter Kyle Jacobs.
Plus, fans can get free downloads of songs from artists like Chuck Wicks, Bo Bice, Justin Moore, Miss Willie Brown, Randy Montana and more at www.people.com/free.
Weekly Debuts Drive Houser’s “Cadillac”
/by Sarah SkatesNext week (8/17) he will debut upcoming single “A Man Like Me” and “Will I Always Be This Way.”
In addition to the weekly music preview, Houser will discuss the origins of the tracks, giving fans a first-hand look at the writing and recording process.
Sneak Peek release dates:
August 10—“Lowdown And Lonesome,” “They Call Me Cadillac,” “Addicted”
August 17—“A Man Like Me,” “Will I Always Be This Way”
August 24—“Out Here In The Country”
August 31—“Here With Me”
September 7—“Somewhere South of Memphis”
September 14—“If I Could Buy Some Time,” “Lead Me Home”