Here - Future of Music Coalition

MUSICIANS PLUG IN
TO SUPPORT AN
OPEN INTERNET.
“Let’s preserve the seamless flow of
information between artist and fan and
recognize that net neutrality is critical to
the conservation of this dynamic.”
-R.E.M.
~Mendoza~ 1 mm/sec 1000 Watts 12horse 180grams.
226 Records Company 29Ten 2nd Hour 2nd Story Band 31G Records 40s 7 Arcos Recordings
9mm SOLUTION A Birdsong Valentine A City Heart A. Scott A.M.TuneShop Abi the Troubadour Absolutely Kosher Records Abunai! According to Wendy
Adam Williams Aesop Rock Agent Double E Al Green Alabaster Brown Alan Sarkisian Alex Kash Alexander Hess All Them Other Records Alone With a
Ghost AM Magic Amanda Blank Amanda Potter AMFM Amy Dalley Ana Kanpa Andrew Beneker Andrew Floebert Andrew Jimenez Andrew Penmer
Andy Mason Ann Blair Ann Pence Annehse Jensen Anodyne Records Anthem 32 Anti-Social Music Antietam Apeadeus AquaCloset Arashk Arcadio
Arizona Art Friday Art of Life Records ArtistOne Artmuse Records
Ascension Records Asteroid B-612 Astra Records Astronauts For Everyone Records
aswedestroy athensmusic.net Atomic Pop Monkey Attack Flamingo Attack Formation Au Revoir Simone Aubrey Debauchery Audio MC Audiodef Austin
Willacy
Autolect
Azul
B.C. Camplight
Babes in Toyland
Babies On Planes
Backyard Shark
Bad Art Records
Bad Brains
Badman Recording Co.
Bangarang Barb Sorensen Barrelhouse Bonni Barton Carroll Batt3rboy Battles BBC Soundsystem Beans Beatbeat Whisper Beatbots Beatnik Turtle
Beau Hall & The Magnificent 7 Beauty Pill Becky Riias Beezlefeast Belle Epoque Ben Lindell Benjamin Shaw Benji Martin Benson Beneker Better Bhi
Bhiman Bibble Big Nasty Big Rhythm Wine Big Sound Music Bill Ely Band Bill Robinson BiomechanicÆ Birdman Records Black Bear Moon Rhythm
Ensemble
Black Patterns From Saturn
Black Sunrise
Blackalicious
Blackout Records
BlackRose Music Group
BlackSmith
BLAMMOS
Bleak Dawn
Bletzung Blockhead Bloodshot Records Blotto Blottofox Blue Room Project BluesSource.com Bluesy Blunt Bo Porter & The Dixie Rockits Bob Gentry
Bob Hughes Bob Mould Bobby Brown RAM Music Bohagey Bowes Bomb the Music Industry! Boneless Bonerama Bong Hits For Jesus Bonnie Hayes
Bonnie J. Gordon Boogernauts Boom Bip Boots Riley Bottles/Cans Brad Parker Brad Price Bramble Radio Branches Brandy Vaughn Brave New Girl
Brett Allen Morgan Brian Franklin Brian Hildebrand Brian Krolak Brian Roessler Brian Troester Brian Austin Whitney Brodylicious Laboratories Broken Vault
Bronislaw Szalanski Tria Brooks deForest Brown Shoe BUCK69 Buckyball Records Buddyhead Built By Snow Built for the Sea Bull City Buried By Hope
Bus Driver Busted Puppets BuzzHound C.O.D. CabrÛn! Cage Cake Calexico Calumusic Camile Alvey CAN CAN Care Factor Zero Carin Dawn Carlos
Daniels Carmen Rasmusen Carny Carol Bui Carol McComb Carolina Rain Carrot Top Records Cary Fly Band Casey Desmond Catatonic Cate Sparks
Cath Carroll Cathexes Cazio CD Baby CEO Band Charming Youngsters Chaser Cherub Records Chill Factor-5 Chris Bosman Chris Flood Chris Young
Chris Zabriskie Christopher Wilson Circle Back Music Climates Cloud 13 Records Club Manor COASTAL Songwriters Organization Cockatoo Cold Blue
Music
Common
Common Shiner
Concord Ballet Orchestra Players
Conduit Records
Contraphonic
Cookie Cutter Girl
Cooper
Cornslaw Industries
Corruption of Blood Cosio Cosmo Baker Courtney Chambers Cowboy Troy CR Craig Manganello Crescendo Crippled Preacher Crossin Dixon Crucial
Blast Curtis Vodka Cynthia Castro Cyphert Music Company D XX D-Squared Entertainment D.H.H. Daedelus Dakotafish Damn Fine Coffee Dan Bryk
Dan Deacon Dan Peluso Daniel Hayden Danielle Peck Dark House Sweet Dark Side of the Cop Darker Brighter Darkgibson David Baylaw David Blaze
David Fagin David Gans David Lev David Miller David Moreen Dead Birds In Paradise Dead Copycats Dead Rabbit Death Cab For Cutie Deborah Crooks
Defend Music Definitive Jux Degrees of Sanity Del The Funky Homosapien Demander Denoument Dephonic Despot Devendra Banhart Devon Wolfe
Dick Prall Dickie Goodman Digital Outlaw DIME Diplo Dirtywater DISCHORD Division of Planes DJ Benzi DJ Drama DJ Electro Cool DJ Love DJ
Massive DJ Scottie B DJ SHAFT(69) DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid DLO Records Dogtown Allstars Donerail Doseone Double Method Double Standard
Down To A Crawl DownNeck Dr. Dre Dragon Secreto Drainage X Drezdon Records Dusty Drake Duval Street Dwarvin Mine Productions Dynasty Records
Dysfunctional Kid E Backwards E E-Klectrik Music Eadans Roses Ear Reverends East Meets West Records Eastern Blok Echelon Productions Echo Root
Echoing August Eclectic Method Edan EDuBS and the SiNE El Jesus de Magico El P eLEKTRONIK SiENCE MuLTIMeDIA Elektrovet Elizabeth Mitchell
Elliott M. Burke
Emergency Umbrella
Emily Aybo
Emily Kate Boyd
Emily Koon
Engeo
Enteramente Artist Management
EP Records, USA
Epicentrik
Recordings Eric Church Eric Patton Escanaba Europa Evan Abood Excepter Exotic Recordings Factory Damage Fair Faith Hill Falabeats Fall Records
Farmertan Farzad Ajory Fasten Belt Fat Caddy Records Fatback Band Feed the Kitty Detroit Fern Knight Fever Pitch Finest Dearest Fiona Apple Fire
Flies Firebowl Records International Five Foot Two Records Five Star Reject Flashspot Flipperbabies Flora McGill Flosstradamus Flowers & Kain Flying
Lotus Foreign Born Foxtail Somersault Fred Miller Freedom Freekbass Fresno Summer Frostbite Fuego Funk Culture Funksion Fuzz Gaia Consort
Gaia Sound Garland of Hours Gartol Gary B & the Notions Gary Nichols Gasoline GE$$O CORP Genuine Articles Geoff Faribault Geoff Farina Geoff
Kaufman George Clinton George Strait Get Poison Records Ghost of Monkshood Ghost Riders Ghostly International Girl Talk Glomag Glory Fountain
Gold Streets
Golden Boy (Fospassin)
Good Night States
Gorch Fock
Gordon Withers / Trisloth
Gore Gore Girls
Grandpa Griffith
Gray Barn Studios
Greenback Gang Greenside Manners Greg Caldwell Greg Davis Greg Gilliam Greyday Records Griddle Griffin House Grimoon Grizzly Bear Groundblinder
Gruesome Boys Guster GvilleMusic.com Gypsy Knights H-Beam Hailstone Hani Naser Band Hanna M. Levifin Hanson Har Mar Superstar Hard Candy
Hearts Harry Perry Band Hassan HeadRush Music Heather Bint Heather Go Psycho HER & Kings Country HereJam Hey Bulldog Hi Frontier Hideout
Hiero Imperium Hieroglyphics Hitswitch Records Holla Factory Hollus Hometapes Honeymoon Music Hook Review Hope Alane Horse Thieves HOSS
Records Hot Apple Pie Hour Negative House Shoes Howells Transmitter Hugpatch I, Synthesist Ida Idol Records Ifdakar IFI Music Immigrants &
Navigators Imperial Teen In Media Rest Infotourist Innervoid Inntrance Inspectah Deck Intothelightcarolanne Invisible Agent Irving Ishah ‘El theatre arts
IT’S OK ItsAboutMusic.com J. T. Hall Jace Everett Jack Ingram Jade Banger Jake Brennan Jake Owen Jamal from Indiana James Hall James M
Buchanan James Otto James Reams & The Barnstormers Jammates Records Jason Aldean Jason and the band Jason Lee Jay Reatard Jay Wise Jayson
Homyzk Jedd Hughes Jeff Belfi Jeff Black Jeff Compton Jel Jen Strickland Jennifer Leonhardt Jerome Karwoski Jerry Harrison Jesse Sparhawk Jessica
Williams Jewel JFJO Jill Sobule Jimmy Tamborello Jmac Jody Watley Joe Cruz JoeRockhead.com John Krueger John Aselin John Doe John Lichtefeld
John P. Strohm John Vanderslice John Watt Band Johnny Asia, Guitarist from the Future Jon Cleary Jon Rauhouse Jordan Page Joseph Procopp Josh
Scheidler Josh Turner Josh Ward Joshua R. Henk Jukebox Zeros Julia Free JuliesSister Julius C Just Blaze Just Listen Productions Just Plain Folks
2007 Justin Bowsher Justin Cancelliere Justin Denman Kalpana Kanine Records Karina Schaffar Karl Goble Karriem Riggins Kathleen Fowle Kathleen
Hanna Katie Dean Katie Mission Katie Todd Katy Kiefer Keith Anderson Keith Moody Keith VanEtten Keli Raven KeN Ken Girls Rock Ken Klemaiwz
Kendrick Scott Oracle Keshco Kevin Baovn Kevin Bogle Kid Koala Kid Rock Kid Sister Kidd Gorgeous Kill Country Stars KillaCe Killdozer Kimberly
Hall King For a Day King Krash Kinky Star
Kira Koenig Kittylicious KnockHardBeats Kool G Rap Kronos Quartet Kujo’s Lunch Money Kuxaan-Sum
Historically, relatively few artists had a chance to be heard. In most cases, musicians had to sign away their
copyrights to even have a shot at reaching listeners. Widespread consolidation in the broadcast industry all
but extinguished opportunities for local, independent and niche artists. Major record labels kept a tight hold
on distribution, with little room for independents. Manufacturing costs and limited retail space meant that
many albums had impossibly short shelf lives.
The internet changed everything.
With commercial radio play and widescale distribution out of reach, many artists embraced the web. The
internet’s open structures meant that they could compete right alongside the biggest companies — an
unprecedented development in music history.
The internet ushered in an era of connectivity, enhancing participation and amplifying voices. It also
transformed how music is acquired. The road to a legitimate digital music marketplace has been bumpy, but
the scenery is starting to get good. A growing number of sites and services serve up a vast array of music,
while compensating creators and rightsholders. Web radio outlets like Pandora and Slacker customize to
listener preference, accelerating music discovery. Subscription services like Rhapsody and MOG offer a
bottomless catalog, on-demand and on-the-go. Download stores like iTunes and eMusic make collecting
simple and fun. Blogs and social networks enhance the entire experience.
NET NEUTRALITY
F
or over a decade, Future of Music Coalition (FMC) has championed innovative structures that allow
more musicians to reach audiences and earn a living. Early on, we recognized the impact that the
internet would have on traditional music business models. Yet where some saw only disruption, we
also saw opportunity.
These innovations have something in common beyond music. They’re all the direct result of open internet
platforms.
The open internet is the oxygen of the music ecosystem. Artists rely on it to do everything from booking
tours to selling merchandise to collaborating with musicians on the other side of the globe. A musician’s
website is their storefront. Their blog is a window into their ideas. Their message board is a backstage
hangout. Their social network is an interactive news ticker. These platforms let musicians make connections
with their audiences while advancing their careers.
Today’s musicians are in fact small businesses, and the internet is their global marketplace.
FMC has witnessed firsthand how important net neutrality — the principle that protects the open internet
— is to musicians. They understand that innovation and creativity is as important as deep pockets. Besides
talent and drive, all they need is a level technological playing field.
Net neutrality also safeguards expression. In 2007, AT&T censored a portion of the live webcast of a Pearl
Jam concert, during which singer Eddie Vedder made critical comments about then-President George W.
Bush. Our democracy demands that the speech of Americans — from rock star to retiree — is not silenced.
Net neutrality helps guarantee this essential freedom.
In 2007, FMC created Rock the Net as a platform for musicians to show their support for the open internet.
Founding artists such as Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Kronos Quartet, Death Cab for Cutie, Preservation Hall
Jazz Band, Bob Mould, Calexico, Les Claypool, The Wrens and more demonstrated what’s at stake
for creativity, commerce and free expression. In a few short months, Rock the Net had grown to include
thousands of musicians and independent labels.
The artists names listed on the inside covers of this booklet are just a few of the thousands of artists who
support FMC and Net Neutrality. Here are just some of their stories, in their own words.
3
ARTIST VOiCE
VISIONARY NEW MUSIC STRING ENSEMBLE, KRONOS QUARTET
The open internet has allowed Kronos Quartet to find people who are out there
exploring and looking for new and interesting sounds. It’s given us the means to have
direct, two-way connections with our existing fans and also uncover new audiences.
The music Kronos Quartet plays is not just from America and Europe — it’s from all
over the place. It’s from Azerbaijan; it’s from New Zealand; it’s from China; it’s from
Russia; it’s from India. We don’t see the world with boundaries, we don’t hear the
world with boundaries. Neither does the internet. Single entities should not have the
ability to choose who gets to speak and to whom. This is a central reason why the
internet must remain open and accessible, and why artists and all citizens must be
vigilant in ensuring that our rights to speech and expression online are not restricted.
KRONOS QUARTET
Photo: Michael Wilson
stic.man OF PROVOCATIVE
HIP-HOP DUO DEAD PREZ
stic.man
Photo: Zubari
As a member of a politicallyconscious hip-hop group, I recognize
the important platform for speech
and organization the open internet
represents. Without access to this
powerful tool for communication, even
more Americans — particularly people
of color — would be without a voice on
the most important debates of the day.
Democracy and civic understanding
require access to information, which is
hard to come by these days if you can’t
get online. And once you connect,
you still need to be able to go where
you want without restrictions from
some corporate entity. As an artist and
member of the public, I count on the
open internet to not only keep creating,
but also to address social issues in
the best way I know how: through my
music and my message.
“Single entities should not
have the ability to choose
who gets to speak and to
whom. This is a central
reason why the internet
must remain open and
accessible, and why artists
and all citizens must be
vigilant in ensuring that
our rights to speech and
expression online are not
restricted.”
-Kronos Quartet
GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING ROCK LEGENDS R.E.M.
While the phone, the fax, the copier, and the postal meter are still in service, they’re
but a small part of the overall effort to get music and messages to those who want it.
Minus open access to the convenience and immediacy of web-based tools, it’s not
so hard to imagine a return to a time when they weren’t around. Let’s preserve the
seamless flow of information between artist and fan and recognize that net neutrality
is critical to the conservation of this dynamic. It doesn’t matter if you’re a band or a
blogger: the open internet provides access to the same platform for communication
as a large corporation or even a government agency.
R.E.M.
4
FRANZ NICOLAY, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, COMPOSER AND
MEMBER OF THE HOLD STEADY
For all the disruptive effects of the internet on the traditional music industry,
the level playing field it established for artists is far more valuable. Everyone —
amateurs, neophytes, late starters, or simply isolated or unconnected artists — can
now get their music to a wide audience at virtually no cost. Every other advance in
mass communication since the printing press has required a substantial investment
in equipment and distribution costs that relatively few can afford. Before the
internet, the portals of mass communication were controlled by a few powerful
gatekeepers. It would be a tragedy for democratic and artistic expression if similar
bottlenecks were placed on the web.
“The internet is an indispensable
utility for me – something as
important as running water or
electricity. This is why I’m worried
about what might happen if net
neutrality is not preserved.”
-Vijay Iyer
FRANZ NICOLAY
MULTI-AWARD WINNING JAZZ PIANIST
VIJAY IYER
VIJAY IYER Photo: Jimmy Katz
The open internet is especially important for jazz
artists, who will never have the promotional budget of
major pop stars like Taylor Swift or Kanye West. The
internet is an indispensable utility for me – something
as important as running water or electricity. This is why
I’m worried about what might happen if net neutrality
is not preserved. A wall would go up between me and
my fans, and a new set of gatekeepers — the cable
companies — would take the place of the old program
directors and label honchos. The old system was a richget-richer model and the new one could very well be
too. The biggest, best-funded artists could afford the
web fast lane, with smaller artists pushed to the virtual
equivalent of bumpy back roads. This would make the
music landscape blander, more homogenized and afford
listeners fewer opportunities to discover niche genres of music – bluegrass, Christian rock and, of course, jazz.
JOSH NOREK OF INFLUENTIAL INDEPENDENT LATIN LABEL NACIONAL RECORDS
From day one, we knew that Nacional Records couldn’t compete with the major labels in
traditional retail environments, where the costs of promotion and placement are too great for most
independent labels. The story is much the same with traditional broadcast media such as television
and radio, where the barriers to entry are extraordinarily high. And due to the rampant ownership
consolidation within these industries, programming has become increasingly homogenized,
leaving little room for the progressive, genre-bending approach our artists bring to Latin musical
culture. Net neutrality is critical to our business — it’s what allows us to reach our audience directly, without interference from
middlemen or gatekeepers. And open internet structures don’t merely benefit independent labels and artists — they’re crucial
to the people we most want to reach: young Latinos who need to experience and reflect back their own culture in a way that
makes sense for them.
5
OK GO’s DAMIAN KULAS
DAMIAN KULASH AND THE OK GO STORY
My name is Damian Kulash and my band is called OK Go. We’ve been around for a decade, during which time we’ve sold over
a half a million records, won a Grammy, played thousands of shows in the States and on five continents. We’re also fortunate
to have been among the first bands to achieve much of our success due to the power of the internet, where we’ve had tens of
millions – maybe hundreds of millions – of streams, downloads, and website hits.
Our achievements are due in large part to our online presence, a type of success that couldn’t have been imagined even a decade
ago. The principles of openness that define the internet are what made everything possible.
Creating, distributing, and listening to music is easier now than ever before. Musical ideas are spreading and combining and
growing, even as the traditional music business struggles to adapt. All sorts of exciting new things are possible. It’s an exhilarating
time.
My band is a good example. OK Go started in 1999 and followed a pretty well-trod path for the first few years. We developed a
following at local clubs in our hometown of Chicago, spent as much time on the road as we could afford to, eventually landed
ourselves a record deal, and then played the promotional game as it is generally defined by major labels: a ton of no-profit touring,
a lot of free shows for radio stations, as many interviews as we could get, and the occasional music video, where the cost is
advanced by our label and deducted from our royalties. Our first record, which came out in 2002, did fairly well: on the Modern
Rock radio charts we just barely broke into the Top 20, and on Billboard’s sales charts we made it to about 100. We were in the
middle of the pack — successful enough to continue, but facing an uphill slog.
In 2005, we released a follow-up. When the record came out, we did all the standard promotion advised by our label, but we
also decided to launch our own online
campaign with simple, absurd videos we
made ourselves.
With the help of my sister, we
choreographed a parody dance routine
and shot a single-take home video of
us performing it in my back yard. If you
include the Starbucks run, the total
budget for the video was about $20. We
posted the clip online, and it caught on
like wildfire. We watched, astonished,
as the video racked up hundreds of
thousands, then millions, then tens of
millions of hits at online video sites.
Before long, we were getting offers to
play to thousands in countries where our
record had never even been released.
And something even wilder started
happening: fans started posting their
own versions of the video.
Thrilled by the direct connection with
our fans, we launched a dance contest,
and received homemade remakes of our
video from all over the world. We got
hundreds of entries, videos of the dance
at weddings, in churches, at high school
talent shows, in firehouses, and even a
version performed by animated Legos.
This is a whole new phenomenon, a
feedback loop of creativity that allows
us to be more than just a commercial
product to our fans — we are the center
of an active, creative community.
We followed that video up with another
that we shot at my sister’s home in
Orlando. It was also a single take and
we were dancing again, but this time
on eight moving treadmills. In the first
two days after we posted the clip on
OK GO
6
YouTube, it was viewed a million times. In the month after it went online,
our album sales increased nearly 4000 percent. We won a Grammy for the
video, beating out much bigger acts with exponentially bigger budgets
and promotional campaigns. To date, it’s been viewed more than 50 million
times on YouTube alone.
For seven years we barely covered our bills, and since our internet
success, OK Go has become a very successful operation. We believe the
videos were so loved because they came directly from us. There was no
one telling us what we could or couldn’t do, no middlemen or marketers,
and we didn’t have to sell a committee of gatekeepers on our idea before
we could take it to our fans. Our success couldn’t have happened in the
pay-to-play music industry of ten years ago, or in a world without an open
internet.
The internet is not just a medium for our videos; we use it for everything.
We connect with fans through our website, our online forums, and through
social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. We alert our online
fans to concerts and television and radio appearances, and we promote
those appearances to new fans. We sell our merchandise and CDs, and
book our tours online. We broadcast concerts, and have done many
performances solely for a web audience. I’d venture to say pretty much
every working musician out there today will tell you how vital an open and
neutral internet is to their business.
Creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of any successful endeavor,
whether artistic, commercial, or political. There are only two guitar
companies who make the majority of guitars sold in America, but luckily
they don’t control what we play on those guitars. Whether we use Macs or
PCs doesn’t govern what our minds can bring to life with our computers.
The telephone company doesn’t get to decide what we discuss over our
phone lines. Similarly, the companies who deal with the nuts and bolts of
the internet should not determine what we can do, or make, or access, or
dream up while we’re using it. The internet has always been a place for
freedom of speech, art and commerce. We should keep it that way.
The internet is as close to a genuine meritocracy as we’ve ever seen.
It’s a place where my band’s $20 video found a wider audience than the
industry’s million-dollar productions, because ours was simply better.
Preserving this level playing field is essential not just for the music
community, but for all of us. The world of tomorrow must be built on our
society’s best ideas, not just those ideas that align with the interests of a
powerful few.
OK GO
“Preserving this level playing field
is essential not just for the music
community, but for all of us.”
- OK Go
ARTISTS ORGANIZE TO RELEASE ROCK THE NET BENEFIT CD
On June 29, 2008, Thirsty Ear Records released Rock the Net: Musicians for Net Neutrality, a compilation CD featuring a dynamic assortment of artists who understand the importance of preserving an open
internet.
The CD, which Rolling Stone called “one of the sexiest compilation albums in some time,” featured tracks
from Wilco, Aimee Mann, They Might Be Giants, Bright Eyes, The Wrens, Portastatic, DJ Spooky,
Guster, Matthew Shipp, Vernon Reid and more.
This critically acclaimed release showed yet again that musicians depend on the open internet for practically every aspect of their career. Fans, too, made the connection that the internet works because it
belongs to everyone.
To purchase this album, please go to: http://www.thirstyear.com/store
7
ARTIST VOiCE
MARTÍN PERNA, FOUNDING MEMBER OF OCOTE SOUL SOUNDS
AND ANTIBALAS (HOUSE BAND FOR TONY-AWARD WINNING
MUSICAL, FELA!)
The internet has been instrumental in allowing me to keep in touch with my fans
and make my music available to a broad audience. This open platform lets artists
like myself collaborate and generate new ideas, resulting in works that have been
rewarding both creatively and commercially. It has allowed me to build, maintain,
and exercise creative relationships with artists across borders. Through the open
internet, I regularly collaborate with musicians from New York to Paris to São Paulo.
Currently, we have a playing field that, if we make good choices, can accommodate
even more voices. Yet we’re facing pressure from bigger players who want to build
trenches, hills, and walls. The internet is crucial to preserving freedom of expression.
This freedom, like freedom of speech on a public street, must be maintained and
defended.
MARTÍN PERNA
MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST AND SINGER-SONGWRITER
ERIN McKEOWN
ERIN McKEOWN
Photo: Nancy Palmieri
As an independent artist with a committed fanbase, the internet
is the engine that powers my career. I now have more tools,
direct access to my fans and many more creative options to
express myself than ever before. And I don’t need to depend on
outside entities to determine how and when I communicate with
audiences. Net neutrality simply ensures that all users, creators,
innovators, small businesses and regular citizens have the means
to compete in a crucial marketplace that isn’t slanted to favor only
the powerful players. Where we can freely access the internet,
where we can speak freely, read freely, educate ourselves and
others without interference, we engage in the same democratic
process that inspired the vibrant and diverse country in which we
live.
“Net neutrality simply ensures
that all users, creators,
innovators, small businesses
and regular citizens have the
means to compete in a crucial
marketplace that isn’t slanted to
favor only the powerful players.”
-Erin McKeown
AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER AND ARTISTS’ ADVOCATE ALEX SHAPIRO
The internet has had a remarkable impact on my career. This technology has allowed
me to reach audiences around the world, obtain commissions and sell recordings and
scores — all from my home on a bridge-less island in rural Washington State. The open
internet is increasingly vital for those of us working in genres like contemporary concert
music, classical music, jazz, bluegrass or other cultural forms that are considered
outside of the popular mainstream. Whereas traditional broadcast media like terrestrial
radio rarely provides a platform for niche music, the internet allows artists like myself
to reach audiences and connect with others who help to promote American art and
culture. For this and other reasons, such as our right to free expression, the open
platform of the internet must be preserved.
8
ALEX SHAPIRO
GRAMMY-NOMINATED WIND QUINTET
IMANI WINDS
Net neutrality is so important to us because of the
unique place we occupy in the music world and how
the Internet has helped us get there. We’ve thrived
as a group in no small measure because of the open
internet. The web has given us cheap and easy tools
to promote and distribute our music that rivals those
of the biggest pop acts. Our website has become a
go-to destination for people to discover and learn
more about wind quintets. This gives us a tremendous
sense of satisfaction. The loss of net neutrality
threatens this grassroots model, which is so important
to Imani Winds and countless other musicians. What
happens when the telecommunications companies
charge content providers — big and small alike — for
access to the Internet fast lanes? Niche artists like us
could get stuck in the slow lane. The Internet would
become a place where money — not enterprising
musicians or ardent fans — determines what gets
heard. And the richness of our cultural landscape
would ultimately suffer.
IMANI WINDS
“The loss of net neutrality threatens this grassroots
model, which is so important to Imani Winds and
countless other musicians.”
-Imani Winds
ARTIST ORGANIZATIONS FOR AN OPEN INTERNET
The open internet isn’t just important to musicians. Arts and cultural organizations have gone on record in support of net neutrality rules that would
protect their ability to communicate with their diverse constituencies.
Independent Creator Coalition for Net Neutrality
American Composers Forum, American Music Center, Center for
Creative Voices in Media, Film Independent, Fractured Atlas, Future of
Music Coalition, International Documentary Association, International
Music Managers Forum, Just Plain Folks, Meet the Composer, Nacional
Records, National Alliance for Media Art and Culture, and Writers Guild of
America West
National Association of Latino Arts and Culture
“It has become paramount that our community — particularly our artists
and cultural ambassadors — has access to the same communication platforms enjoyed by other members of the public. The views and perspectives of Latinos are as diverse as our artistic expression, and our ability to
participate in the broader cultural conversation depends increasingly on
access to the open internet.”
The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)
“From musicians to filmmakers to writers to independent labels to arts
and service organizations, today’s creative community depends on the
open internet to conduct business and contribute to the rich tapestry that
is American arts and culture.”
“The internet has allowed independent labels to compete on a more level
playing field and develop direct relationships with our customers. This
has been a phenomenal development in our ability to bring more music
to more people. Without the benefit of an open internet, we may very well
end up with another set of gatekeepers who determine who gets to play
and at what cost.”
American Federation of Musicians
Voto Latino
“In the 21st century, artists at all levels of success use the internet to get
their music to fans, through iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, YouTube, MySpace
or the myriad other websites and services that allow music to be sold or
streamed. The internet allows music and musicians to flourish and must
remain open and neutral.”
“The open internet lets Latino youth have their voices heard. This is an
incredible thing for a historically disadvantaged group, and particularly
important for younger generations who need the freedom to express
themselves and their culture.”
9
ABOUT FM
ABOUT FUTURE OF MUSIC COALITION
Future of Music Coalition (FMC) is a national nonprofit organization that works to ensure a diverse musical culture where
artists flourish, are compensated fairly for their work, and where fans can find the music they want.
Founded in June 2000 by musicians, artist advocates, technologists and legal experts, Future of Music Coalition
gives musicians a voice in the issues that affect their livelihood. Over the years, FMC has provided an important forum
for discussion about issues at the intersection of music, technology, policy and law. By documenting historic and
emerging trends in the music industry, FMC has become a trusted voice in the ongoing dialog about the challenges and
opportunities facing today’s musicians. By promoting a legitimate digital music marketplace and a broadcast media that
values local and independent culture, FMC helps establish a healthier music ecosystem.
FMC actualizes its mission through a number of activities. We organize events that bring hundreds of musicians,
technologists, attorneys, policymakers and industry representatives together for cutting-edge discussions about the
future of music. We submit testimony, publish articles and give presentations highlighting the creators’ experience. We
distill and translate information for musicians, keeping them abreast of an evolving music landscape. We also generate
original research to more completely illuminate the mechanics of an evolving music industry.
Since 2002, FMC has published several data-driven reports including studies on the effects of radio station ownership
consolidation and payola and musicians’ access to health insurance. We also continue to solicit artist opinions about the
impact of new business models on their ability to earn a living.
FMC’s monthly newsletter includes breaking news and information about the policies and technology developments
affecting musicians, as well as advocacy campaigns, articles and upcoming events. Sign up here: www.futureofmusic.
org/subscribe.
For more information: futureofmusic.org
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