Dozens of musicians have signed a letter calling for politicians to get approval before using their songs for campaign events. The list of artists includes some of the top names in music, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Steven Tyler, Sia, R.E.M., Lorde, Blondie, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Lionel Richie, Pearl Jam, and Green Day. Should these artists get their way, campaigns would have to secure “clear consent” from copyright owners for using their songs. This would constitute a significant change from the longtime industry norm in venue music licenses.
And it could reverberate far beyond politics, possibly changing people’s broad ability to play recorded music in public.
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