President Trump Signs Music Modernization Act Into Law (billboard.com)

President Donald Trump signed the Music Modernization Act (MMA) into law Thursday, officially passing what is arguably the most sweeping reform to copyright law in decades. From a report: The bill revamps Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act and aims to bring copyright law up to speed for the streaming era. These are the act's three main pieces of legislation:
1. The Music Modernization Act, which streamlines the music-licensing process to make it easier for rights holders to get paid when their music is streamed online.
2. The Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, & Important Contributions to Society (CLASSICS) Act for pre-1972 recordings.
3. The Allocation for Music Producers (AMP) Act, which improves royalty payouts for producers and engineers from SoundExchange when their recordings are used on satellite and online radio (Notably, this is the first time producers have ever been mentioned in copyright law.).

What does all this mean? First, songwriters and artists will receive royalties on songs recorded before 1972. Second, the MMA will improve how songwriters are paid by streaming services with a single mechanical licensing database overseen by music publishers and songwriters. The cost of creating and maintaining this database will be paid for by digital streaming services. Third, the act will take unclaimed royalties due to music professionals and provide a consistent legal process to receive them. Further reading: Billboard.

Comments

Making a mockery of copyright

[DigitAl56K]

Why respect copyright, when nothing will ever enter the public domain any more? There was supposed to be a balance where copyright would be enforced until a work became old enough where upon it would enter the public domain. It now stands that upon your grave, works you enjoyed as a child and possibly paid for many times over throughout your life will still not be free when you die.

Re:Making a mockery of copyright

[MightyYar]

Agreed. Fuck 'em all. How can anyone argue that pre-1972 music needs MORE protection than when the artist was first incentivized to write and record the song? This is pure giveaways to corporate rightsholders. Our system is not set up to benefit society - obvious stuff, but needs to be reiterated I guess. Stop voting for these people.

This doesn't modernize shit about copyright

[Anonymous Coward]

It seems the entire premise of this legislation is to enrich record companies more.

Re:Keeps getting better

[slack_justyb]

better deal for music artists

In all fairness, this bill has been worked on since Bush II days, around 2006-ish. The current President has done literally little to secure the passage of this outside his signature. In fact, both Bush and Obama have done little for this as well. This whole effort has mostly been decided between private parties and a few key congressional representatives.

It's almost like people forget that important law takes years, compromises between a multitude of interested parties, and bipartisanship. But yeah, forget all that, let's wax superiority on how my team is better than yours. *eyeroll*

Re:Face it, this was inevitable

[93 Escort Wagon]

The headline here said "President Trump Signs" but who among you would claim it would be any different had Hillary been elected?

Hillary, no. Obama, yes.

If Obama were still in office, his signature on this law would slope differently because he is left-handed.

Not inevitable

[rsilvergun]

we need to start voting for candidates that refuse corporate money. There's a wing of the Democratic party that does (called "Justice Democrats"). I don't know of a GOP equivalent, but if somebody does feel free to chime in.

We can stop this any time we want, and the answer is simple: If you take corporate money then you don't get elected. Period.