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At issue: The satellite radio giant's opposition to a portion of the Music Modernization Act.

In an unprecedented show of solidarity, some 150 artists and executives, including Paul McCartney, Don Henley, Carole King, Katy Perry, U2’s The Edge, Pink, Sia and hitmaker Max Martin, have signed a letter addressed to the board members of Liberty Media, corporate parent to SiriusXM. At issue: The satellite radio giant’s opposition to Music Modernization Act, which is thisclose to passing in the Senate. Specifically: SiriusXM has raised objections to portions of the bill, which aims to protect recordings released before 1972 from falling out of copyright protection, including the exclusion of terrestrial radio from mandatory payouts to rights holders.

Says attorney Dina LaPolt, one of several advocates working on behalf of the MMA (as an attorney-advisor to SONA, or Songwriters of North America), in a statement to Variety: “As we continue to move from a product based business to a service based business, bringing the antiquated copyright act into the digital realm, SiriusXM’s unwillingness to support songwriters and artists is complete travesty given that every other group in the music industry has endorsed the bill. This shows their disgusting corporate greed at the expense of America’s greatest treasures..…. our legacy artists.”

Adds Ross Golan, songwriter and host of the popular podcast “And the Writer Is…”: “The music community is standing in solidarity like never before. In only 48 hours, 200 legends put their name on the line to show that we are not just music. We are an army. This letter is only a warning shot.”

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The Music Modernization Act is scheduled to be “hotlined” today by the Senate — at which point any Senator has 24 hours in which to object to the bill passing out of the Senate without an official vote (Senate leadership does this for bills with high cosponsor counts that they know would sail through if a vote was forced or needed) — the legislation is facing one final hurdle in the form of objection by SiriusXM.

The letter, which was also signed by Carly Simon, Ryan Tedder, Charlie Puth, Gloria and Emilio Estefan as well as Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, and members of The Doors and the Mamas and the Papas, is addressed to SiriusXM chairman of the board Greg Maffei, programming chief Scott Greenstein and CEO Jim Meyer along with the Liberty Media board members. The endorsement of so many top artists represents a credible threat to the business of SiriusXM’s music channels, particularly as it involves specialty programs — for instance, the Beatles channel, among the most popular of SiriusXM’s offerings.

The MMA bill was passed unanimously in the Senate Judiciary Committee in June following a unanimous approval of similar legislation by the House of Representatives a month earlier.

Read the letter to SiriusXM in its entirety below, and read SiriusXM’s response here:

Dear Greg Maffei, Scott Greenstein and Jim Meyer and Liberty Media Board of Directors Evan D. Malone, David E. Rapley, Larry E. Romrell, Brian M. Deevy, Andrea L. Wong, Robert R. Bennett, M. Ian G. Gilchrist and John C. Malone:

I’m writing you with grave concern about SiriusXM’s opposition to the Music Modernization Act (Classics Act included).

I’m CCing some of the greatest songwriters and artists in the history of the music business to show our solidarity in support of this legislation in its current form. We are all aware of your company’s objections and trepidation but let me say that this is an opportunity for SiriusXM to take a leadership position. As you are aware, 415 Representatives and 76 Senators have already cosponsored the MMA along with industry consensus. It’s SiriusXM vs all of us. We can either fight to the bitter end or celebrate this victory together. Rather than watch bad press and ill will pile up against SiriusXM, why not come out supporting the most consequential music legislation in 109 years? We do not want to fight and boycott your company but we will as we have other opponents. Stand with us! Be brave and take credit for being the heroes who helped the MMA become historic law! Momentum is building against SiriusXM and you still have an opportunity to come out on the right side of history. We look forward to your endorsement but the fire is burning and only you can put this out.

Sincerely yours,

Ross Golan and Legends CC-ed Here

Artists/Musicians:

Sir Paul McCartney

Don Henley

Stevie Nicks

Mick Fleetwood

Steven Tyler

Joe Perry

Carole King

Carly Simon

Katy Perry

P!nk

OneRepublic: Ryan Tedder

Sia

John Legend

Adam Dorn

Adam Gorgoni

Adam Levine

Alessia Cara

All-4-One

Andrew Wyatt (Miike Snow band)

Bebe Rexha

Bird and The Bee: Inara George

Carly Simon

Carole King

Charlie Puth

Chris Isaak

Colbie Caillat

Dolly Parton

Eddie Money

Eurythmics: Dave Stewart

Garbage: Shirley Manson

Gloria & Emilio Estefan

Grace VanderWaal

Hootie & the Blowfish: Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber and Jim Sonefeld

James Taylor

Jason Derulo

JD Souther

Jefferson Airplane: Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady

Jesse Carmichael

Jewel

Kasim Sulton

KC and The Sunshine Band: Harry Casey

Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds

Kevin Cronin

Little Feet: Lowell George Estate

Lori McKenna

LP

Melissa Manchester

Mindi Abair

Nelly Furtado

Rascal Flatts: Gary LeVox

Rusty Anderson

Sean Lennon

Semisonic: Dan Wilson

Sonic Youth: Kim Gordon

The Doors: John Densmore Robby Krieger

The Fray

The Mamas And The Papas: Michelle Phillips

The Pixies: Joey Santiago

The Pretenders: Chrissie Hynde

Thomas Rhett

Tom Higgenson: Plain White T’s

Tom Waits

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Karen O and Nick Zinner

Songwriters/Producers:

Ali Tamposi

Allee Willis

Ammar Malik

Andre Lindal

Andreas Carlsson

Andrew Cedar

Anne Preven

Anthony Preston

Antonia Armato

Ashley Gorley

Benny Blanco

Bert Berns

Billy Mann

Billy Steinberg

Bonnie McKee

Bryan Michael-Cox

Burt Bacharach

Busbee

Captain Cuts

Charlie Handsome

Claude Kelley

Claudia Brant

Cynthia Weil & Barry Man

Dallas Davidson

Damon Boot

Damon Bunetta

Damon Sharpe

Danielle Brisebois

Dave Bassett

David Hodges

David Simmons

Desmond Child

Diane Warren

Doc Pomus Estate

Emile Ghantous

Erica Discoll

Erika Ender

Ester Dean

Eve Nelson

Greg Kurstin

Greg Wells

Harvey Mason

Ian Kirkpatrick

J Kash

Jack Kugell

James Newton Howard

Jason Evigan

Jay Landers

Jayson Dezuzio

Jeff Trott

Jesse Shatkin

John Ryan

Jud Friedman

Julian Bunetta

Justin Tranter

Kara DioGuardi

Lauren Christy

Linda Perry

Lindy Robbins

Louis Bell

Louise Goffin

Luke Laird

Marc Shaiman

Max Martin

Michelle Lewis

Mike Stoller

Mozella

Mutt Lange

Neil Ormandy

Nicolle Galyon

Nolan Lambroza

Oak Felder

Oliver Heldens

Richard Jay Alexander

Rick Nowels

Ricky Reed

Rock Mafia

Ross Copperman

Rudy Perez

Sam Hollander

Sarah Aarons

Sarah Hudson

Savan Kotecha

Shelly Peiken

Simon Wilcox

Skylar Grey

Stargate

Stephen Bray

Steve Lashley

Steve Solomon

Steven Lashley

Stuart Crichton

The Edge

The Heavyweights

The Stereotypes

Tim James

Toby Gad

Troy Verges

Wally Gagel

Walter Afanassief

Wayne Kirkpatrick

Xandy Berry

Zach Crowell



Executives/Business:

Aaron Bay Schuck

Aaron Rosenberg

Adam Anders

Alastair Lloyd Webber

Amanda Berman

Amanda Berman

Andrew Gould

Andrew Luftman

Ben Mawson

Ben Singer

Brendan Okrent

Connie Lim

Dan Petel

David Gray

Dina LaPolt

Ed Howard

Ed Millet

Jeff Jampol

Jon Lind

Justin Frazier

Katie Vinten

Kenny Aronoff

Kristina Grossman

Larry Wade

Lou Taylor

Maria Egan

Rachel Kurstin

Sheryl Louis

Susan Genco

Companies:

Modest Management

Big Deal Music

Milk And Honey

Mega House Music Mgmt.

Decible Entertainment

