For quite some time now, Senate has been wrestling with the Music Modernization Act of 2018, S.2334. The act was backed by major players from every corner of the music industry and allows for a major reform in copyright laws in a time where it has become increasingly common for artists and musicians to go unpaid for their work.
Despite the overwhelming support that the act received, it was met with opposition. An example includes influential company Blackstone Group, owners of mechanical licensing company Harry Fox Agency, who anticipate being negatively impacted by the bill's passing. Other examples include Sirius XM and Music Choice who have advocated against a portion of the act which makes the companies legally responsible for compensating songwriters and artists for recordings made before 1972. Nonetheless, the act was passed unanimously by the Senate.
The new law combines three parts of legislation for music-rights. A notable change in the law will mean that owners of music rights will be fairly paid in this epoch of music streaming. Producers and engineers will now have the opportunity to be paid royalties when songs that they have worked on are streamed.
In the wake of its passing, the bill has been renamed the Orrin G. Hatch Music Modernization Act to honor Senator Orrin G. Hatch, who as a songwriter himself, worked tirelessly for the bill to be passed.
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