Artist streaming fees lobbied for at ASCAP’s ‘We Write the Songs’ event

The ASCAP Foundation hosted songwriters, singers and composers at the Library of Congress Tuesday for the annual “We Write the Songs” event. Wednesday the artists then met with legislators for ASCAP’s “Stand with Songwriters” Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, an event whose aim is to urge lawmakers to update federal music licensing regulations for the modern music marketplace.

Peter Frampton, Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty and songwriters Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman of the band The Hooters were all on the Hill for the occasion.

“I’m here to meet with members of Congress from across the political spectrum to discuss the challenges songwriters like me face in today’s music marketplace, and why the laws that regulate our music licensing system need to be updated to reflect the way people listen to music today,” Mr. Bazilian said in a statement provided to The Washington Times.

His colleague Mr. Hyman said that as streaming becomes more and more common, “it seems like it’s being valued less and less.”

“It’s time to update the outdated and overregulated music licensing system, and we need Congress’ help now to help protect the music we all love,” Mr. Hyman said.

ASCAP President Paul Williams spoke at the event with a bipartisan coalition of sympathetic lawmakers, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat and Rep. Doug Collins, Georgia Republican.

ASCAP members took to the dais to also frown upon President Trump’s proposed cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts, The Washington Post reported.