Report: Music Modernization Act Passage On The Brink

U-S Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tennessee) believes the Music Modernization Act is on the brink of clearing the Senate and heading to President Donald Trump's desk to be signed into law.

According to The Tennessean, the act would be the first major overhaul of the nation's music copyright laws in two decades. Its advocates say the legislation would improve paydays for songwriters by creating a new, more favorable standard for how digital royalty rates are set for services like Spotify and Apple Music.

The bill also creates a new licensing organization that would be in charge of identifying copyright holders and paying them the royalties they're due.

Sen. Lamar Alexander

The Music Modernization Act was set to enter the Senate's informal "hotline" process, which allows noncontroversial bills to pass with a simple voice vote, possibly as early as this week.

Representing a state with a heavy music industry presence, Alexander said the bill will be a boost for working songwriters at all levels of their careers.

“We are on the brink of the Senate passing the most significant legislation in a generation that will help make sure songwriters get paid for their work and even more important, get paid a fair market value,” Alexander said. “We have 74 cosponsors working carefully with all the voices we’ve heard who had concerns, because we want a result that lasts for a long time and has stability.

“It was a big help to have the National Association of Broadcasters issue their statement of support. Virtually everyone is on board, and now it’s a matter of finding time on the Senate floor to approve the bill, send it back to the House of Representatives and then back to the president.”

Alexander, R-Tennessee, said he hasn't spoken to President Donald Trump about the legislation, but added "I can't imagine the president not signing it with a lot of enthusiasm particularly given the broad base of support."

The legislation is backed by music publishers, songwriters, record labels, broader music industry groups like the Recording Academy, the streaming services, broadcasters and the performance rights organizations.

One outlying opponent has been SiriusXM, which may see its royalty rates increase as a result of the legislation. Alexander said he believes it is too late to make any changes to the bill.