Music, MMA, and Drones

Most of you know what drones are…those pesky little flying machines that many Go Pro users have to get amazing video footage while sometimes invading privacy or at the very least, making us feel like we’re being watched because well, we are. As drones became popular laws and legislation was created and passed governing their use and rightfully so. So why is it as soon as that technology entered the mainstream government was quick to get on with legal matters yet technology changed in the music industry way before drones and we are still governed by laws dating back to 1909 and the World War II era? Odd, ironic, and sad at the same time. 

Enter the MMA…no, musicians are not cage fighting with congress although that’s what it seems like needed to happen to get things rolling in our favor. I’m referring to the Music Modernization Act. In a nutshell it is a bill that will allow songwriters and musicians to get paid more royalties from downloads as well as streaming services like Spotify and will also help find homes for unclaimed royalties. It’s also a bill that hopefully will get the music tech companies like Spotify and Apple on the same page and same side with musicians. The two teams have been at odds with each other for years. Ironic that it’s called the MMA. 

Like any new bill there are arguments on both sides for and against as well as pros and cons to the bill. The bottom line though is musician royalties are being governed by a very antiquated law and like technology, those laws need to brought up to date. It is the equivalent of having speeding laws created at time when horse and buggy were the main means of transportation. We know longer travel mostly by horse and buggy so the speeding laws were updated. The travel means for music has changed so those laws need to be updated as well. Who knows…soon we may be listening to streaming music while riding in a drone ;)  

3 comments