Articles & Events

AM/FM Trade Organization Asks Court to Ignore MMA in Effort to Reduce Songwriter Royalties

By Rachel Stilwell and Lindsay Meisels

A new federal court filing by a trade organization representing AM/FM radio station owners would, if granted, alter the way royalty rates are determined for radio airplay, undermining the rights of songwriters and music publishers and ignoring the clear intent of Congress in ways that could result in a reduction of royalties paid.  In short, the radio industry that already pays nothing to the makers of sound recordings is looking for yet another way to stiff music creators.

The Radio Music License Committee, Inc. (“RMLC”), a trade organization that...

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Is Randi Zuckerberg’s “Parody” of Twisted Sister & Dee Snider Copyright Infringement?

BY RACHEL STILWELL & KELLY JOHNSON

Cryptocurrency and NFT proponent Randi Zuckerberg (and sister of Meta/Facebook founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg) recently posted to Twitter a music video in which she sings a so-called parody version of Twisted Sister’s classic rock anthem, “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”  Zuckerberg changed the lyrics of Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider’s musical composition to create a work called, “We’re All Gonna Make It.”  According to Snider, Zuckerberg did not obtain permission from rightsholders to use the musical composition or change the lyrics. Zuckerberg’s widely panned music video features substituted lyrics promoting the purported benefits of cryptocurrency, NFT’s, and Web3 to those who partake in such trendy marketables.  

Although we are acquainted with-- and fond of --...

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Rolling Stone Quotes Rachel on Allegations that NYT Journalist Duped Hundreds of Musicians Out of Copyrights

Rolling Stone: A Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reporter Has Been Accused of ‘Scamming’ Musicians
Musician and YouTuber Benn Jordan claims former ‘New York Times’ journalist Ian Urbina engaged in “extremely unexpected, brazen[ly] complex web of fuckery.” Urbina denies the accusations.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ian-urbina-ocean-outlaw-1267345/
Rolling Stone: A Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reporter Has Been Accused of ‘Scamming’ Musicians
Musician and YouTuber Benn Jordan claims former ‘New York Times’ journalist Ian Urbina engaged in “extremely unexpected, brazen[ly] complex web of fuckery.” Urbina denies the accusations.
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Can Taylor Swift Re-Record Her Old Albums? Should She?

Rachel Stilwell was quoted in Rolling Stone in an article about the legalities of Taylor Swift rerecording sound recordings of her back catalog of musical compositions. Rachel explained common clauses in recording agreements that often prohibit rerecording of tracks recently released, and that there are usually limits on the number of years that such rerecording restrictions apply.

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