US music organisations ask Congress to act quickly to support the live music sector

By Emmanuel Legrand

A coalition of American music industry organisation has sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to pass legislation to provide "additional relief desperately needed by the many artists, musicians, engineers, producers, and venues who bring live music to the public" that have been strongly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

  In the letter sent to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, House SpeakerNancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader ChuckSchumerand House Minority Leader KevinMcCarthy, the groups – among them ASCAP, Music Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum-US, National Music Publishers Association, Recording Academy, Recording Industry Association of America, SESAC, SoundExchange– noted that "77% of people in the live events industry have lost 100% of their incomes, including 97% of 1099 workers." 

The devastating effect of Covid

  Thesignatories asked Congress for the following actions:

  (1) renew and extend Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation;
  (2) pass the RESTART Act;
  (3) fix the CARES Act by passing the Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Act;
  (4) expand the Saves Our Stages Act;
  (5) expand employer retention tax credits and pass a 100% COBRA premium subsidy;
  (6) pass the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act and the HITS Act.

  “There is no denying that Covid-19 has truly tested the nation, and it has had a devastating effect on our country’s music industry," said the organisations. "The music community remains grateful for Congress’s bipartisan relief efforts earlier this year, but more must be done soon to avoid a level of loss that could devastate artists, musicians, engineers, producers, venues, and everyone in the music industry for a generation.”  

Provide financial relief

  "Providing direct financial relief to the workers of all venues is critical to keeping local communities afloat," read the letter. "Indeed, dollars spent to keep venues open have a multiplier effect, as live music brings patrons to hotels, restaurants, and other small businesses that are also struggling to survive. Expanding Save Our Stages to include all different types of live events workers – and not excluding them simply for where they work – will help revitalise our economy at the ground level."

  It concluded: "Like many in 2020, our community has come together to speak with one voice to ensure that we all can enjoy better days in the future together.  We hope that with your leadership, Congress, in the upcoming lame duck session, will take this clear opportunity to save American music, culture, and countless small businesses."