NMPA Releases Response to Copyright Study

Last year, in a long overdue response to the ever-evolving plight of the American songwriter, the U.S. Copyright Office released a study on the country’s current music licensing framework. The study was conducted in order to move toward appeasing songwriters’ rights, including the just compensation of the creator, the efficiency of the licensing process, the access to sound recording and musical work identification data, and, finally, the transparent access to payment and usage information.

Today the National Music Publishers’ Association responded to this study, with NMPA President and CEO David Israelite asserting that, while he appreciates the U.S. Copyright Office’s acknowledgement of the songwriter’s struggle in the face of outdated laws, he hopes the government will refrain from unnecessary regulatory interference. “We applaud the recognition that music creators should be fairly compensated,” Israelite states. “However, while there is much to like in this report, we hope that Congress rejects any further regulation of songwriters. It is critical that songwriters are given the freedom of other intellectual property owners – to sell their creations in a free market. Until they can do so, they will continue to be treated unfairly by the very industry they fuel.”