Future of Music Coalition
@futureofmusic.bsky.social
Education, research and advocacy for musicians.
companies are sourcing millions of printed books for AI labs that scan them for training data, then destroy them. printed books are more valuable because they're free of AI slop, and AI labs know destroying them is an "optics problem." www.404media.co/ai-companies...
AI Companies Are Buying Tons of Old Books Because They're Free of AI Slop
ISBNdb, a company that sources printed books for AI companies to turn into training data, tells clients “the optics problem is real.”
404media.co
Gov. Healey proposed capping concert and sporting event ticket resale prices, pitching the measure as a way to protect consumers from price gouging and deceptive practices. Healey tapped singer Noah Kahan to help announce the proposal at the State House on Thursday.
Healey proposes plan to cap concert ticket resale costs, with help from Noah Kahan
Gov. Healey proposed capping concert and sporting event ticket resale prices, pitching the measure as a way to protect consumers from price gouging and deceptive practices. Healey tapped singer Noah Kahan to help announce the proposal at the State House on Thursday.
trib.al
DC’s music community united to make to make this happen. Treating audiences with care and respect is core to many of our diverse scenes’ history, from punk to gogo and beyond. We are fiercely independent and we want policies that reflect our values. This week DC’s council delivered.
Councilmember Charles Allen@cmcharlesallen.bsky.social · 3w agoIt’s a unanimous vote for the RESALE Act! Without a doubt, this is the most pro-fan, pro-consumer law in the country. The resale system has been rigged against our residents, our artists, & our venues. Everyone has been getting ripped off & that changes with today’s vote!
The D.C. Council unanimously approved a bill targeting price gouging for resold concert or game tickets.
DC Council unanimously approves bill targeting ticket resellers
The D.C. Council unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that aims to make resold concert or game tickets cheaper. The Restricting Egregious Scalping Against Live Entertainment (RESALE) Act bans bot scalp...
nbcwashington.com
This is basically the proposed law DC’s council votes on today (it allows face value plus 10% plus another 10 % for fees).
Kurt Fleischer@kurtfleischer.bsky.social · 3w agoScalping site owned by a scalper. Shocker. We could simply just outlaw selling tickets for more than face price plus fees the ticket seller zaps you w/.
Unfortunately, TICKET act is deeply flawed. Musicians have told Rep. Schakowsky how to fix it. Without these fixes, it will let StubHub hide fees and keep selling speculative tickets under another name.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky@schakowsky.house.gov · 3w agoFans deserve a chance to buy tickets at a fair price. The Senate must pass the bipartisan TICKET Act to crack down on hidden fees, end speculative ticketing, and hold this industry accountable.
Fixing ticketing means that we have to take on both StubHub and Ticketmaster!
More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 3w agoIt has now been revealed that the CEO of StubHub also owns hedge fund that scalps millions of dollars worth tickets on StubHub.
One more vote and the mayor's signature and DC will have the toughest ticketing reform bill in the country.
Councilmember Charles Allen@cmcharlesallen.bsky.social · last mo.The RESALE Act has passed first vote *unanimously* with: 1) a 10% cap restored on how much a ticket can be marked up when being resold; 2) a ban on reselling tickets you don’t possess: 3) list the original cost of the ticket; 4) requires all-in pricing upfront on all sales.
As consumer fury swirls around unfulfilled FIFA tickets, both California and DC are on the verge of banning the sale of spec tickets. They would join AZ, MD, MN, ME, VT, and OR in addressing this problem that musicians have fought against for years.
Catelli@catelli.bsky.social · last mo.Isn't that... fraud? "StubHub is famous for this — not just for the FIFA World Cup but for other events all over the globe. It’s that they allow speculative ticketing," he said. "So speculative ticketers are basically sellers selling tickets they don't have." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Wondering if the FIFA ticket nightmares will bring people around to what we've been arguing for years: Ticketmaster sucks and Stubhub/predatory resale sucks and policymakers and enforcers have to go after both using the appropriate tools rather than letting either off the hook!
Remember that time when you sang backup or played guitar on your friend's song? Even if you're not a union member, @afm-union.bsky.social and @sagaftra.org may have money for you that you need to sign up and claim! It could be $50 or it could be $5000. afmsagaftrafund.org/Search/Uncla...?
A better live music industry Is possible. www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-...
Noah Kahan Helped Push Vermont Ticket Scalping Bill Into Law
The Strafford native testified before the state senate in support of the bill H.512 to crack down on ticket scalping and predatory resale practices.
hollywoodreporter.com
Good news from California as the Assembly advances bills supported by musicians! First, AB1776 strengthens CA antitrust law, which will better protect artists and fans! Second, AB1720 caps ticket resale to stop price gouging & protect ticketbuyers!
Sad but not wholly unexpected news from @mikemcgonigal.bsky.social on FB this morning that _Maggot Brain_, the great quarterly music/culture magazine he brought into being, has come to a close. A wonderful run, well worth looking into their back issues. thirdmanrecords.com/collections/...
The Governor of Vermont has signed a new law that caps concert ticket markups at 10% for independent venues across the state. Among the advocates for the bill was Noah Kahan, who gave testimony to the state senate. www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-n...
We are so proud of our author Franz Nicolay @franznicolay.bsky.social , who gave important testimony before Congress yesterday on the Live Nation/Ticketmaster anti-trust judgment, speaking on behalf of working musicians like himself across the country.
Stereogum@stereogum.com · 3mo agoThe Hold Steady's @franznic.bsky.social testified before Congress Monday about Live Nation, calling it "the epitome of the kind of monopolistic power that antitrust law was created to address"
Similar efforts are in progress in CA, NC, DE, NY, DC. Capping resale is one way we can rein in Ticketmaster’s monopoly power.
Future of Music Coalition@futureofmusic.bsky.social · 2mo agoVermont's governor has signed the new law capping ticket resale in Vermont! www.mychamplainvalley.com/video/noah-k...
Vermont's governor has signed the new law capping ticket resale in Vermont! www.mychamplainvalley.com/video/noah-k...
Noah Kahan testifies on Vermont ticket resale bill
Noah Kahan testifies on Vermont ticket resale bill
mychamplainvalley.com
The independent music community salutes Rep. Deborah Ross for reintroducing the Protect Working Musicians Act, empowering artists and songwriters to negotiate collectively with AI and streaming giants for fair compensation. Learn more: www.billboard.com/pro/new-fede...
It's a strong bill that would give musicians a seat at the table. Crucially, it goes beyond rates to also address questions of service design and policy--meaning artists would have a say over issues like payola, AI on streaming, etc.
Representative Deborah Ross@ross.house.gov · 3mo agoIndependent musicians are largely powerless to negotiate fair prices for their work from AI and streaming platforms. My bill, the Protect Working Musicians Act, allows independent artists to band together to negotiate fair compensation for their work. www.billboard.com/pro/new-fede...
Lawmakers held a forum on the Live Nation/Ticketmaster DOJ settlement and monopoly verdict, and the Hold Steady’s @franznicolay.bsky.social testified that the company represents “the epitome of the kind of monopolistic power that antitrust law was created to address.” stereogum.com/2499345/the-...
You can read my full written testimony here: pianofighter.substack.com/p/my-full-co...
My full Congressional testimony on LiveNation/Ticketmaster
From yesterday's hearing
pianofighter.substack.com
Stereogum@stereogum.com · 3mo agoThe Hold Steady's @franznic.bsky.social testified before Congress Monday about Live Nation, calling it "the epitome of the kind of monopolistic power that antitrust law was created to address"
The Hold Steady's @franznic.bsky.social testified before Congress Monday about Live Nation, calling it "the epitome of the kind of monopolistic power that antitrust law was created to address"
The Hold Steady’s Franz Nicolay Testifies Before Congress About Live Nation Monopoly
Earlier this year, Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster reached a surprise settlement with the Justice Department in a major antitrust case — a deal President Donald Trump reportedly pushed for,...
stereogum.com
congressman, can I tell your committee how a resurrection really feels
Ben O'Connell@benjaminoc.bsky.social · 3mo agoFranz Nicolay and others are currently testifying about Live Nation & Ticketmaster before Democratic lawmakers on C-SPAN3. The full hearing will also be available this URL when it's done. www.c-span.org/event/public...
Happening now! Artist Franz Nicolay (of The Hold Steady) will be testifying soon.
Future of Music Coalition@futureofmusic.bsky.social · 3mo agoThis afternoon at 3:30 EST Rep. Raskin and Sen. Blumenthal will lead a spotlight hearing on Live Nation Ticketmaster. Live on CSPAN 3! www.c-span.org/event/public...
This afternoon at 3:30 EST Rep. Raskin and Sen. Blumenthal will lead a spotlight hearing on Live Nation Ticketmaster. Live on CSPAN 3! www.c-span.org/event/public...
c-span.org
It's always a good day to break up a #monopoly. This piece includes exclusive comments by Kevin Erickson and Rich Jones. @newyorkstateag.bsky.social, @richloyalty.bsky.social, @futureofmusic.bsky.social #LiveNation #Ticketmaster #MusicIndustry #musicians #MusicFans
State Attorneys General Pursue Separate Bench Trial After Live Nation Found Guilty of Operating Illegal Monopoly - Community Sentinel
Artists have argued for several years against Live Nation’s monopoly over every aspect of live event promotion and Ticketmaster’s excessive fees within its sales practices.
communitysentinel.media
