PARMA Exlusives 3.27.15

We couldn't be more excited... they're here! The PARMA Exclusives! We're expanding the catalog to provide more opportunities for our artists and giving more options for our clients. We're happy to work with such great people! The market is changing, so we're evolving with it. Stay tuned for more information but for now... check out the amazing work the design team @ PARMA did! We're loving the exclusives look.

http://www.parmalicensing.com/parmaexclusives/

What everyone is talking about ... Thicke & Williams vs. Gaye 3.12.15

Ok -- everyone is talking about it, so it's time for PARMA to talk about it! Funny enough, as I sit on the lower level of our little office, I can hear our CEO Bob up in the loft talking about this exact subject!

Go figure...we've really been talking about this since August 2013. Wow, the sound of that new jam.. "Blurred Lines".. we couldn't get enough of it! We also couldn't get enough of it when it was the Marvin Gaye tune.. "Got to give it up" back in 1977. At least that's what the jury ruled.

Finally a long awaited decision came down from the copy right courts, holding Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams responsible for copyright infringement of the melodic, harmonic, and lyrical nature of the tune in the amount of $7.3 million.

What's this mean for the industry when we think Pharrell has to rip off an old tune to create a hit? I'm not exactly sure. This guy is the cream of the crop talent, it's scary what this may mean for songwriters and producers in the future. We stopped sampling because it got too messy. What about songs that are bringing back GREAT old grooves? (*Cough*.. uptown funk anyone?).. I hope this doesn't hinder artists in the future from bringing the generations to come awesome grooves!

Check out the full article at RollingStone!

-Jenna Despres, Account Executive @PARMA Licensing

Congress, Songwriter, and the Equity Act. 3.5.15

Hey songwriters and composers! The uphill battle for fair market royalties is still going strong. Yesterday, both the Senate and House of Representatives were re-introduced to the Songwriter Equity Act. 

"Through the Songwriter Equity Act, songwriters will no longer be disadvantaged by the fact that courts cannot legally consider all relevant benchmark deals -- key evidence in determining fair market rates.  Not only is it an important step on the road to fairness for BMI's more than 650,000 songwriters, composers and publishers, but this bill will also help address ongoing concerns about the impact of a rate disparity that values the performances of sound recordings at a level approximately 12 times greater than the actual musical compositions from which they are created." - BMI President & CEO Michael O'Neill

This is a big step, and a very important step in moving forward from an outdated licensing system we're currently stuck in. ASCAP and BMI are supportive and working to get this act revamped and updated! 

Keep up the fight!


Check out the whole article here: http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/6487799/songwriter-equity-act-re-introduced-to-congress

-Jenna Despres, Account Executive @ PARMALicensing