The Recording Academy - National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Inc.
04/26/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/26/2024 16:31
The Key Issues & Bills To Know Ahead Of GRAMMYs On The Hill 2024: AI, Live Event Ticketing Reform & More
The Recording Academy is taking the beat to Capitol Hill next week for GRAMMYs on the Hill 2024, where GRAMMY winners and nominees and music professionals will visit lawmakers to advocate for legislation advancing music creators' rights.
The Recording Academy's annual GRAMMYs on the Hill is the signature music event in Washington, D.C., where music creators and congressional members come together to celebrate our progress in the music space, shed light on the issues the music community is currently facing, and advocate for real change. GRAMMYs on the Hill 2024 comprises three marquee events: the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards on Tuesday, April 30, which this year honors nine-time GRAMMY winner Sheryl Crowand Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day on Wednesday, May 1, Capitol Hill's largest and most prestigious legislative event for music; and the inaugural GRAMMYs on the Hill Future Forum on Friday, May 3, which will explore the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the music community.
This year, the Recording Academy is focused on two critical issuesaffecting the music industry and fans everywhere: AI fraud and live event ticketing reform. Several key pieces of legislation are being furthered toward these efforts, including the No AI FRAUD Actin the House of Representatives and the Senate's No FAKES Act discussion draft, to protect the image and likeness of artists everywhere. The Fans First Act and the TICKET Actrepresent the most comprehensive set of reforms to strengthen the live event ticketing marketplace and protect fans, artists, and independent small businesses.
"The Recording Academy is in the business of celebrating human excellence and human creativity," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.said. "That was the biggest concern when we crafted our GRAMMY Award policies. We understand that AI is a part of our industry and here to stay, but our awards guidelines stay true to our mission to honor the people behind the music we love so much. Only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award."
Today and forever, it is essential that we protect the people in music. Because music makes us human. As a nonprofit organization that supports advocacy across the music industry, the Recording Academy champions rights for all music creators- not just our Academy members. Being a music advocate means championing music creators' rights year-round, and Recording Academy members have the power to enact true change in music.
In the guide below, learn more about the important actions and issues driving GRAMMYs on the Hill 2024, which are aimed at protecting the livelihoods of present and future generations of music creators. And learn more about the Recording Academy's efforts to safeguard human creativity and help creators navigate the use of AIacross the music industry today.
No AI FRAUD Act & No FAKES Act
Across our landscape, technology like generative AI and bot automation threaten to rob our society of human-made music, the timeless, essential craft of expression that transcends cultures and has defined what it means to be human across eons.
The Recording Academy is leading the national conversation about AI in music, using GRAMMY Week in Los Angelesas a platform for a congressional hearing to explore how AI digital replicas threaten individual artists.
GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day will further these efforts, with a focus on the bipartisan No AI FRAUD Act, the first federal solution with protections for all Americans who could be vulnerable to fraudulent replicas. The bill was introduced earlier this year in the House of Representatives by Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Madeline Dean (D-PA). In the Senate, the Recording Academy is also pushing for support of Senator Chris Coons's (D-DE) bipartisan effort to introduce a draft of the No FAKES Act with the strongest possible protections for individuals.
Read more:How The House's No AI FRAUD Act And Tenn.'s ELVIS Act Will Protect Human Creativity
"AI increasingly affects every single one of us," said GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Lainey Wilsonduring her testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee during its GRAMMY weekend hearing. "We need artists to keep telling stories and connecting with fans and bringing people together authentically. We need to keep humanity in art - we cannot lose that. The No AI FRAUD Act is a great place to start."
Although AI technology holds promise, its rampant expansion without reasonable controls has resulted in real wage theft of working-class musicians and artists. We're rapidly headed toward a world of machine-made music and, worse, the disenfranchisement of millions of human music creators, the repercussions of which would be nothing short of catastrophic. The No AI FRAUD Act and its Senate counterpart establish that everyone's image, likeness and voice are federally protected and that they have the ability to enforce this right against misuse.
"The bill [No AI FRAUD Act] establishes in federal law that an individual has a personal property right in the use of their image and voice. That's just common sense, and it is long overdue," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. "The bill also empowers individuals to enforce this right against those who facilitate, create, and spread AI frauds without their permission."
The risks of AI are also being addressed at the state level with new laws setting a precedent for national policy. The ELVIS Act (Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security,)signed into law in Tennessee on March 21, marked a historic milestone as the first legislation in the nation focused on safeguarding the core elements of artistic identity, including voice and likeness, in the context of AI. The Academy is also working closely with lawmakers in Illinois to update the state's laws to better protect individuals from digital replicas.
Protecting the image, likeness and voice of individual creators from AI fakes through legislative measures such as the No AI FRAUD Act in the House of Representatives and the Senate's No FAKES Act discussion draft are integral components to the Recording Academy's year-round mission.
Live Event Ticketing Reform: Fans First Act & the TICKET Act
The human connection that forms between artists and fans through live music is at the heart of what makes music special. Today, that special connection between artists and fans is threatened by predatory online ticket resellers employing bot automation.
This year's Advocate Day will focus on reforming thelive event ticketmarketplace to better protect artists and fans through legislation including the Senate's Fans First Act and a similar House bill, the TICKET Act. The Fans First Act is an active effort of this year's GRAMMY on the Hill political honorees, John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN.), who introduced the bill in 2023.
"We urge Congress to act on [the TICKET Act] quickly and continue its effort to protect both artists and fans by increasing transparency and limiting bad actors that take away from the joyous experience of live music," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.
Read more:Ticketing Reforms Make A Big Leap In Maryland: Here's What You Need To Know
Deceptive trade practices in live event ticketing hurt consumers, performers, and small businesses across the country. Artists want to protect their fans from bulk resellers, bots, and predatory practices, while stakeholders in the secondary market want to restrict the ability of artists to tour and sell tickets the way that they want.
The Fans First Act and the TICKET Act will introduce comprehensive reforms that safeguard consumers from fake tickets, price gouging, and other deceptive practices, provide transparency in ticket pricing, and restore integrity to the ticketing marketplace.
"While fans suffer because of this broken system, so do artists" declares a collective statement of support from the Fix the Tix Coalition, which includes the Recording Academy as a founding member. "Predatory resellers view tickets as nothing more than commodities to be traded for outrageous sums, throwing away the cultural and communal value they provide for our society. They exist to undermine the hard work, talent, and livelihoods of artists, inserting themselves as unnecessary and unwanted middlemen who make their money off the backs of the artists and venues who partner to make these events happen."
The Recording Academy is advocating for congress to listen to the artists on the stage and pass meaningful, bipartisan ticketing reforms that protect consumers, elevate creative economic development, and restore trust in the ticketing experience for fans and artists. In fact just this past week, more than 300 artists, including dozens of GRAMMY winners and Recording Academy members, sent a letter to Congress in support of passing the Fans First Act.
The Recording Academy invites members to engage in one of our actions herewith the hope of creating positive change in the music industry. For non-members, your support means the world. Please use your voice to advocate for the rights of creators' and fans on these key issues so we can all enjoy the music we love so much.
House & Senate Take Critical Steps Toward Ticketing Reform: Learn How