Songwriting
American Girl’s New Doll Inspires Young Women to Learn Electronic Music Production
There’s a new American Girl Doll in town—and she produces electronic music. The beloved toy brand has released its “Girl of the Year” for 2023, a 12-year-old Indian girl named Kavi Sharma who enjoys songwriting and performing. In addition to the doll herself, you can purchase her vibrant performance outfit and a number of music-related items from her collection. The bedroom studio kit includes a microphone, drum pad, pair of drumsticks, headphones and a tiny synthesizer that plays six different tones. It also features a faux laptop with a screen displaying a DAW (digital audio workstation). Inclusivity is a key component of the American Girl brand, which has developed dolls with rich backstories and personalities for almost 40 years. The company produces dolls representing many...
Copyright Royalty Board Approves Industry-Wide Settlement for 15.35% Royalty Increase
The United States’ Copyright Royalty Board has approved new rates amid a long-standing battle between digital service providers and songwriters, recording artists and music publishers. Known as “Phonorecords IV” or “CRB IV,” the settlement will incrementally increase royalties for over the next five years until it reaches 15.35% in 2027, according to the board’s members. On January 1st, 2023, songwriters and music publishers received a rate of 15.1% of a U.S. streaming service’s revenue. In 2024, it will raise to 15.2% In 2025, it will raise to 15.25% In 2026, it will raise to 15.3% In 2027, it will raise to 15.35% Songwriters and music publishers have long received the short end of the stick, but thanks to support from the NMPA as well as va...
Music Tech Startup Songfinch Raises $17 Million to “Create a Middle Class of Musicians”
Music tech startup Songfinch has secured $17 million, closing a Series A funding round that amplifies its efforts to create a “middle class of musicians,” Built In Chicago reports. Songfinch is one of a handful of music startups aiming to change how independent musicians are compensated for their work. “The industry tends to be a star-driven league and the top two percent get a chance to participate and eat most of the dollars in the industry while the other 98 percent struggle and fight for scraps,” John Williamson, CEO of Songfinch told Built In Chicago. The goal of Songfinch’s online marketplace is to provide artists with a hub where consumers can commission them to create custom songs. The platform allows users to choose a style, mood and other custom elements f...
Brett James Talks ‘Greatest Songwriting Day’ With Kenny Chesney on Behind the Setlist Podcast
Brett James has spent countless days co-writing with a who’s who of Nashville musicians and songwriters, crafting songs that would be recorded by the likes of Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean and Dierks Bentley. One day stands out as perhaps his most fruitful songwriting session: writing with Kenny Chesney at the country star’s house on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Two days after getting a call from Chesney, James was with the country singer on St. John on a December evening. “We smelled that salt there and felt the warm breeze and went out and had some fun that particular night,” the Nashville-based songwriter recalls for Billboard‘s Behind the Setlist podcast. “The next morning, I wake up an...
Watch PRXZM Produce a Song Live Using Mad Libs
PRXZM masticated asteroids really gouda in this livestream. You’ll understand that ridiculous lede after watching a recent video by the dance music production and songwriting duo PRXZM, who recently challenged themselves to write a song using Mad Libs. Using suggestions from their live audience on Twitch, they got to work. They’d only ever done this one other time, when PRXZYM’s Emma Maidenberg was sick with Covid. “I wasn’t my best self,” she said. “And my voice didn’t sound that great.” But she made up for it this time around. Maidenberg started working on the lyrics and writing down seemingly random words that popped into her mind to get the Mad Lib started. “This already sounds like a Mad Lib,” her ba...
Kelis Has Much More to Say About Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Sampling: ‘I’m Coming For What’s Mine and I Want Reparations’
Kelis has much more to say about being sampled on Beyoncé‘s Renaissance album. After venting her anger about what she claimed was Bey and The Neptunes alleged failure to secure her permission to sample the 1999 song “Get Along With You” on the Renaissance track “Energy,” the “Milkshake” star dove deeper into why she feels slighted in a series of videos posted on Thursday night (July 28). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I’m an artist, so I am as Erykah [Badu] said ‘I’m sensitive about my s—,’” Kelis said. “The reality is that my real beef, is not only with Beyoncé, because at the end of the day, she sampled a record, she’s copied me before, so have many other artists, it’s fine, I don’t care about that.” The Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams an...
Dr. Luke’s Prescription Songs Company Offers Songwriters Bitcoin As Compensation Option
Dr. Luke‘s publishing company, Prescription Songs, has announced that songwriters will have the ability to receive royalty payments in Bitcoin going forward. The organization took to social media today to announce the groundbreaking move, stating that they are the first publishing company to offer its creators such a compensation option. According to the producer, the idea soon became a no-brainer after multiple creators began inquiring about the possibility of being paid in Bitcoin. The transactions will be conducted by bitcoin payment services provider, Bitpay, according to Digital Music News. “Prescription Songs has always been an industry leader providing the best services to our songwriters, producers and artists,” Dr. Luke said in a statement. “Some of our cre...
The COVID-19 Impact on Publishers and Songwriters—A Look Ahead to 2021
This story was co-written with Amanda Montgomery and Laura Veras. In today’s marketplace, there is no doubt that one of the toughest avenues to establish a viable career is as a songwriter. The 9.1c mechanical royalty—which has not been adjusted for inflation since 2006—has become less significant due to the emergence of streaming and the plunge of physical sales and downloads. Now, the impact of COVID-19 has contrived new challenges for songwriters and their publishers to tackle as alternative revenue streams, such as touring, continue to erode in the virus’ wake. To give a general idea of how COVID-19 has trickled down to the publishing community, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) projected that global music publishing collections will fa...
