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MMA'S BATTLE ROYALE (UPDATE)

Add the Pulse Music Group to the companies, songwriters and organizations fighting a late addition to the Music Modernization Act from SESAC/Harry Fox Agency owner Blackstone.

Pulse says Blackstone’s “poison proposal” will doom the legislation, has no songwriter organization support and destroys the central compromise between songwriters and digital services. Various songwriters, publishers and others have spoken out via social media on the issue.

The MMA, as it stands, calls for the creation of the Music Licensing Collective that will handle royalty payments. Private equity firm Blackstone says it wants its companies, especially HFA, to be able to retain its practice of doling out the cash. Songwriters, publishers and others see that as an untenable stance.

The Nashville Songwriters Association has just written at length on the issue, stating “The fight has gotten ugly and [the association] takes no pleasure in battling within the music industry family. But putting forth such a proposal only days before a final vote is in bad faith. Nonetheless, we’ve extended an olive branch that is more than reasonable.”

SESAC has responded, saying, “We respect all songwriters and wholeheartedly support the goals of the MMA.”

UPDATE: The Association of Independent Music Publishers has released a statement addressing the controversy; a pertinent excerpt follows.

Since Blackstone/SESAC proposed its amendments to the MMA, we have lost momentum in the passage of this bill and there has been in-fighting amongst our community pitting songwriter against songwriter, and songwriters and publishers against a PRO. There are also forces outside the music industry that will continue to work against us. We urge all parties to engage, negotiate and find a solution immediately and we strongly request that Blackstone/SESAC accept a reasonable compromise. We must all continue to work together to keep the bill on track and protect all of our livelihoods. To have come this far only to have all the hard work potentially be for naught is an unacceptable outcome. History can be made.

Please immediately reach out to your elected House and Senate representatives (consult https://whoismyrepresentative.com ), your PRO and your publisher(s) and your songwriter(s) [as the case may be] to let them know you fully support the MMA and that its immediate passage is important to your business and most importantly, your families.

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