SXSW
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LØREN finally brought his alternative rock energy to the United States this month, when he took the stage at SXSW. To celebrate, he joined Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly to chat about his music, production and more.
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“It was wild,” he said of his first U.S. performances. “If I’m being honest, I haven’t done that many shows in Korea. I honestly didn’t know what to expect from the crowd, if they were going to like it, so it was kind of nerve-racking at first. It was great to get this reassurance that whatever I’m trying to do, does move people to a certain point.”
He also shared the inspiration behind his intense “Folks” music video, in which the singer is shot in the chest. “It comes down to how people are so quick to judge you based on things that are just out there,” he explained. “I wanted the video to portray that even if you’re just trying to be yourself, you’re still going to get attacked and there are all these things that are going to get in your way.”
While LØREN is an incredible solo artist, he’s an equally talented producer and songwriter who has worked with other popular Korean acts like BLACKPINK. “When I was a producer, I didn’t know what to expect. You just write beats or tracks hoping that they’re going to go somewhere,” he shared of the experience working with the girl group. “With BLACKPINK, they needed a certain set of lyrics that are both in tune with how the song was written originally and how it’s going to sound in Korean. I don’t want to flatter myself, but I think what I did fit that role.”
He added, “I’ve been a fan even pre-debut, so it’s been a dream to work with them and interact with them musically, whether it be the Instagram Live with Rosie or being in the studio with them, hearing their stories and whatnot.”
Watch Billboard‘s full interview with LØREN above.
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Ben Affleck worked hard to earn his way into becoming a major Hollywood filmmaker, actor, and producer. Even with the type of pull Affleck surely has, a request from Michael Jordan was heeded ahead of him getting the blessing to put out the film, Air.
Ben Affleck shared behind-the-scenes details of Air during the film’s debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas this past weekend. Per Variety, Affleck shared at the event that Jordan had a number of suggestions that Affleck heeded but the most notable one was asking that Viola Davis play Deloris Jordan, Air Jordan’s mother.
From Variety:
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“I got the script and then had the chance again to talk to Michael. Michael Jordan, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the most intimidating, impressive men you’ll ever see in your life,” Affleck said. “He told me about [his] father. And then he talked about his mother. It was the first time I saw this look cross his face. It was a look of reverence, of awe, of love, and gratitude, and innocence. He said, ‘None of this would have ever happened without my mother.’ I said, ‘Who would you like to play your mom?’ He said, ‘Well, it has to be Viola Davis.”
The outlet adds that Ben Affleck brought out the award-winning Davis for a brief moment ahead of the airing of the film in full.
Air comes to the theaters on April 5, 2023.
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Photo: Getty
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A new movie set in the Bronx, featuring rising young star Asante Blackk, turned heads at the SXSW festival this past week.
This year’s edition of the South By Southwest Festival (SXSW) held in Austin, Texas was a stage for a slew of new films to make their debut. One film, Story Ave, became a favorite of those who got to see the drama set in The Bronx. The film stars Asante Blackk, who recently captivated audiences with his role in Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us dramatic series for Netflix on the exonerated Central Park Five.
Story Ave is the debut film from writer-director Aristotle Torres based on an award-winning short film of his and counts Jamie Foxx as one of its producers. The movie shows Kadir (Blackk), a young high-school student with a striking talent for art who’s part of a crew of taggers known as Outside The Lines along with his friend Moe (Alex Hibbert from Showtime’s The CHI). The crew is run by Skemes (Melvin Gregg from FX’s Snowfall) who puts Kadir in a position to rob an MTA conductor named Luis (Luís Guzmán). But Luis and Kadir wind up befriending each other, setting off a chain of events that pushes Kadir to fight to see if there is a life for him outside of the streets.
Blackk spoke about his experience in filming Story Ave in a recent interview. “I didn’t realize at the time that my life was changed after reading [the script for ‘Story Ave’],” Blackk said. “But once the [filming] process started and we really became a family, I understood exactly what those words on that page were making me feel. And it was connection, it was love, it was fear, guilt — it was all of these emotions that I wrestled with my whole life wrapped so beautifully into this portrayal of a young man.”
The film was co-written by Bonsu Thompson, a veteran journalist who has produced digital series for BET and the feature-length documentary Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Story in addition to serving as the Editor-In-Chief of The Source magazine and as Music Editor for XXL magazine [Ed. Note: he penned a Cassius cover story on Bel Air star Jabar Banks, too]. Chuck Inglish, one-half of The Cool Kids, serves as a composer on the film along with Pierre Charles.
It’s nearly 9:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas and Kx5 — the electronic dance music supergroup of Kaskade and deadmau5 — quietly take the stage. They hardly go unnoticed, though, as the fans packed on the lawn at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park begin to scream for the legends.
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“Austin!” Kaskade yells into his mic, showing the city some love before returning his full attention back to his deck, as he and deadmau5 perform with precision a steady stream of syrupy and hypnotic hits beginning with set opener “Bright Lights.”
With lyrics like, “There’s a place… we can go… for a feeling…” the pair set the tone for the third and final night (Saturday, March 18) of Billboard’s South By Southwest concert series. And together, the two deliver a much-needed communal dance party to cap off what was, for most, a nonstop week.
The headlining set could not come at a better time for Kaskade and deadmau5, either, as just 24 hours earlier Kx5 released its self-titled debut album — over a decade after the two first partnered up. Rightfully so, the night is a celebratory culmination of all of the above.
Throughout the set — which clocks in at just over an hour long and utilizes over 50 lights and frequent fog blasts — Kaskade and deadmau5 deliver sky-high drops tailor made for roller coaster enthusiasts — especially on new track “Eat Sleep,” which blends into a snippet of an industrial, deconstructed remix of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”
Later, during the atmospheric album cut “When I Talk” deadmau5 lights up — creating his own personal mini fog machine — while “Sacrifice,” which features Sofi Tukker, prompts Kaskade to yell “C’mon!” while reclining his upper body into a small standing backbend.
As the show reaches its halfway point, the soaring drops and bursts of fog seem to occur in more rapid succession as the show builds, The crowd reacts accordingly, with one devoted fan dancing along holding two circular press-down night lights that in this environment more resemble floating orbs.
To prepare for the set’s peak, the pair dive into “Escape,” a melodic daydream off Kx5 on which British singer-songwriter Hayla questions: “What if I escape?” For most in attendance, this show offered just that — even if only for a brief while.
During the song, deadmau5 shows Kaskade something on his phone, to which the two react with wide eyes and jaws dropped before honing in with laser focus for their final minutes on stage. And just then, the Kx5 logo that opened the show reappears onscreen, indicating they are indeed coming full circle.
The ride is ending.
But not before one final hit. The one, of course, that started it all: “I Remember.”
“This song is old enough to vote!” deadmau5 declares with a wide smile. He then hops down from the platform which has housed him and Kaskade for the last 60-plus minutes, bringing his beer with him, to take a well-deserved bow and applaud his partner, who stays glued to his deck until the last resounding note reaches the final row of fans.
And as the two begin to walk off the stage, the anticipated chant for an encore begins. But after a closer like that, Kx5 made sure to give a performance no one will forget.
Even so, one bawling fan could be heard telling friends: “I need to see this again.”
One of Feid‘s first-ever performances in the U.S. was at a South by Southwest (SXSW) festival about five years ago. “I went to different bars, tents, and venues asking people to let us perform,” he previously told Billboard. “I played everywhere we could and now being part of Billboard’s stage is awesome and it’s beautiful.”
Fast forward to 2023, the Colombian singer-songwriter — alongside Puerto Rican trap star Eladio Carrión and Austin-based DJ Gabby Got It — now headlined “Billboard Presents THE STAGE at SXSW,” which took place Friday (March 17) at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park in Austin.
Billboard officially returned to South by Southwest with three nights of star-studded concerts. Electronic music titans Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5) will close the event on Saturday (March 18).
Check out the best moments from Feid & Carrión’s show below.
A Packed House: Rain or Shine
From chilly days to severe thunderstorms, the weather in Austin has been a bit wonky but in true Billboard fashion, the show must go on — and fans showed up no matter what. Doors opened at 7 p.m. local time but just hours before, a long line of eager fans wrapped around the Moody. In honor of Feid’s show, which just so happens to fall on St. Patrick’s Day, the majority of fans dressed in green (his signature color) and rocked the white Ferxxo sunnies. A lot of fans also brought homemade posters and their county’s flag. The Moody was at capacity with nearly 5,000 concert-goers in attendance and a couple more watching the show from a parking garage afar.
A Mini Reggaetón Carnival
As some fans made their way to the pit, others took advantage of the fun activations found in the outdoor venue. Think of a mini carnival with food, drinks, free candy, cute photo spots, and even a fun slide. Notably was Austin’s own Gabby Got It (real name: Gabriela Alma Lopez-Bucio), who kept the crowd entertained and on their feet with her reggatón-heavy DJ set including bangers from Wisin y Yandel, Karol G, and many more.
Eladio Brought the Heat to Austin
It was 50 degrees outside but Carrión made sure to turn up the heat with his 45-minute set that kicked off with “Flores en Anonimo” and continued with his trap hits “Sin Frenos,” “Tata” and “Kemba Walker,” to name a few. “Hace un frío cabron!” (it’s cold as f—), he expressed at one point but nonetheless, the Boricua act removed one of his shirts and continued to perform some of his most commercial bangers like “Mi Error,” “Me Gustas Natural” and “No Te Deseo el Mal.” Carrión then wrapped his SXSW performance with tracks “Ele Uve,” “North Carolina” and “Biza.”
Feid Fulfilled His SXSW Dream
Rocking his go-to outfit (shorts, sneakers, a sweater and glasses), Feid hopped on stage at 9:35 p.m. and kicked off his hour-long set with “Castigo,” followed by “Chimbita” and “Belixe.” He then greeted his faithful crowd and let them he was living a dream. “Austin, how are you, mor? This is a special night because five years ago we performed at SXSW and now we’re here,” he gushed. Joined by two DJs and an energetic guitarist on stage, the Colombian act performed hits such as “Mojando Asientos,” “Friki” and “Normal,” before gifting fans with a streak of bangers that went viral on TikTok: “Ultra-Solo,” “Yandel 150,” “Hey Mor,” “Chorrito Pa’ Las Animas” and “Feliz Cumpleaños, Ferxxo,” to name a few. Though he often hopped from one side of the stage to the other, there were a few times Feid would bust out with the social media dance challenges. “¡Que chimba esta noche!” he expressed, which translates to “what an amazing night!”
The newest onscreen video game adaptation has come in the form of Tetris, a Jon S. Braid thriller film about the true story of Henk Rogers, who created the beloved puzzle game in 1988.
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Billboard was at the film’s SXSW premiere this week, where host Tetris Kelly surprised the cast with the hilarious coincidence of matching names. “Really?” Taron Egerton, who plays Rogers, said to Kelly upon hearing his name. “Is that real? Well, I’m very glad to meet you.”
Egerton also opened up about taking roles that portray famous stories, as he previously played Elton John in Rocketman. “You try not to dwell on those things too much. You have to divorce yourself from any pressure you feel from playing recognizable people or stories that are well known,” he shared. “If you are nervous at work every day, you wouldn’t be able to do your job.”
Polina, who spearheaded the soundtrack on the film, also shared what it was like to make the movie’s music. “I got to record some of my favorite songs,” she revealed. “I usually write soundtracks but this time around, I performed the soundtracks and it was such an honor to perform Blondie and Pat Benatar. Such legends and iconic songs.”
As for how she ranks when playing Tetris, Polina said with a laugh, “I think I suck at Tetris.”
Watch Tetris Kelly talk to the Tetris cast at SXSW in Austin, Texas, above.
Billboard kicked off its three-day concert series with performances by Lola Brooke, Armani White and 03 Greedo on Thursday (March 16).
Lil Yachty was set to headline — performing songs off his recently released No. 1 album Let’s Start Here — though due to sudden severe weather, never made it on stage.
Opening acts Lola Brooke and Armani White, however, got the energy up before last-minute addition Greedo took to the stage.
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Brooke, who performed in a racecar-inspired outfit with long silver hair, fittingly opened her set with 2022 single “Here I Come.” She also pleased the crowd with her breakout hit “Don’t Play With It,” which she released in 2021 and at the top of this year entered Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The New York rapper also kicked off 2023 with a label deal, signing to Arista Records in collaboration with Team Eighty Productions.
Armani White was up next, who made quite the intro by throwing Fruit Snacks to fans as an early-evening pick-me-up. He then dove right in, opening with the hook of his viral hit “Billie Eilish” to pump up the thickening crowd who happily screamed along. He also treated the audience to “Diamond Dallas” and “Goated,” which he rapped alongside a saxophonist.
And finally, 03 Greedo became the unintentional closer, becoming the last performer of the night before severe weather forced an evacuation minutes before Lil Yachty was scheduled to begin. Ultimately, his set was cancelled.
As for 03 Greedo — who was released from prison in January after serving nearly five years behind bars on gun and drug charges — he delivered a compelling comeback set.
As he wrote on Instagram at the time of his release: “Yes, I am free from prison but I am still not completely out … I am in a halfway house for up to 6 months with a five minute phone call a week … “I honestly just don’t want to talk to alot of people yet … I got a lot I want to clear in my head first.”
Judging by his set, music may be the best way through, as he performed hits from his 2018 Alamo Records debut mixtape The Wolf of Grape Street like “Substance” and “Run For Yo Life,” the latter of which includes the line, “B—h it’s my year.” And with his freedom and a performance like this one under his belt, it very well could be.
Due to inclement weather conditions the March 16 concert was cancelled. All tickets purchased for this concert through the Moody Amphitheater box office or Ticketmaster will be refunded.
Original ticket purchasers will receive communications and refunds directly from Ticketmaster.
During a SXSW panel on Thursday, March 16, Billboard’s Kristin Robinson moderated a conversation between fast-rising singer-songwriter JVKE and SoundExchange president and CEO Michael Huppe.
Titled “The Creator Boom: How the Industry Can Transform,” Robinson clarified from the start that perhaps a more appropriate name would be how the industry already is transforming, and noted the ways in which independent artists who take off on TikTok, like JVKE, are helping write a new rulebook, with companies like SoundExchange (a non-profit collective rights management organization) helping newcomers play the game — and get paid.
Below are the five biggest lessons learned from the conversation.
WEIGH THE OPTION OF STAYING INDEPENDENT
JVKE was indeed offered multi-million dollar offers from major labels to sign, and said “there were so many different options and pressures, and it’s a safe option to take the check up front and recoup in 5-10 years, but in that moment I was just like, ‘I’ve seen how much I can grow on my own and we’re curious to see how much further we can go.’ We’re doing it for the greater good, to encourage artists to see how high the ceiling is.”
His best advice for others looking to follow in his path? “It’s really important that every up and coming artist has a tenacious mindset and commitment to overcoming every obstacle, the heart to keep going. It starts with the artist, you yourself have to really go after it. At first, just focus on being self-sufficient – because we have the ability to be now.”
Huppe agreed, and added , “Lower barriers to entry and being DIY means creators are exploding, we’re having so many more people enter the system. It’s fascinating and very fertile for the industry. The problem with that is what used to be a little more orderly, sometimes it feels like chaos out there. Part of what we do is bring order to the chaos.”
WORK TO ATTAIN VIRAL SUSTAINABILITY
“I’m always trying new things and there’s always this balance of trying to fund what you want to do, but you want to balance that with real impact,” said JVKE of his struggle to both sustain momentum and use his platform wisely. “There’s always so much joy that I find in connecting with my fans and I’m always looking through my DMs, looking at my Discord, all sorts of platforms to connect with fans. Now I have a tour coming up and I think that’s really important for a modern artist, to know there are real people, not just numbers [driving your success].
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT FOR RISING ARTISTS
Huppe said that when he first entered the industry, the biggest threat was pirate cassette operations. “Now,” he said, “the biggest change is what used to be an ownership model. For 80 years the industry was based around ownership, everything was for sale.” He added that there are, of course, new products being monetized today, like virtual merchandise in the metaverse. But even so, he said, “Now people own very little and it’s all about access. Record labels have adapted and the artists, especially the younger up and coming artists, have really grabbed onto it and seized it.”
Which is exactly why JVKE believes it’s “the best time ever to be [emerging] because you can make music, put it out, get equipment [shipped to] your bedroom. All of those gates to entry that used to be there are pretty much gone, and I think that’s why we see so many people releasing songs now. And I think in the next few years we’re going to see a lot more up and coming artists with a similar story to me.”
BALANCE CONTENT WITH MUSIC
For an artist like JVKE who took off thanks to TikTok, he spoke to the digital dance of balancing out creator content with posts that directly tease or promote his music. “It was more of a grind when I started out,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s all a mission to connect with people personally. As much as we talk about the algorithm, it’s also just reaching people where they are. Every artist likes doing different things, for me I love writing songs and the raw element of throwing up my phone and playing it and seeing if people like it. Part of growing, for me, means expanding my team so I can stick to what I’m best at. But at first an artist has to do it all themselves.”
MIND YOUR METADATA
Metadata, simply explained by Huppe, “Is data about data.” He said,” In today’s streaming world where 85% of the U.S. recorded music market is streaming, it’s that metadata that determines where the money goes.” He said that over 36 billion performances are reported into SoundExchange each month, with the company paying out every month, totalling over $1 billion annually. “The payment needs to flow properly so people can make a living,” he said. “Metadata is not the sexy part of this, it’s not why anyone does this, but your life will be substantially different if you do it well.”
On Thursday, March 16, Billboard’s editorial director Hannah Karp moderated a Featured Speaker panel called “Music Publishing in the New Songwriter Economy.” The compelling conversation featured a lineup that Karp called “music’s most entrepreneurial songwriters and publishers.”
Panelists included Warner Chappell Music’s co-chair and CEO Guy Moot alongside two of the publisher’s superstar producers, Murda Beatz and Nova Wav (the duo of Brittany “Chi” Coney and Denisia “Blu June” Andrews).
The foursome discussed the new songwriting economy, with Karp teasing “they promised to share secrets to make money — and it’s not using Chat GPT.” And as Moot noted, though the industry is “rapidly changing,” he believes songs are and always will be “the essence” of the music industry.
Yet, despite being such a backbone, songwriters and producers continue to face familiar and new challenges, from getting paid to competing with artificial intelligence. “We gotta get all the money,” Murda said bluntly, speaking of his biggest obstacle. “We should be getting athlete contracts. Sometimes we get paid quick, but sometimes [it takes] months.”
To which Coney added: “We’re creating music for the future.”
Below are the five biggest lessons learned from the panel.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PUBLISHER
“We weren’t looking for a publisher, we were looking for a partnership,” said Coney, speaking of Nova Wav signing with WMC. She cited a commercial the duo did with Lexus and an upcoming Bose opportunity, and said, “Warner has been doing an amazing job at making sure we’re well taken care of. Music is the vehicle, but our brand is much bigger.”
Added Murda: “As creators, we have to diversify. You don’t want all your eggs in one basket … That’s a big role, branding yourself and building something that’s very sustainable. It creates longevity, so you’re not known for just a hit.”
“A big part of our job is getting our songs noticed, so we’re also part of the promotion process,” explained Moot. “Internationally, it’s important for American writers to travel and us as publishers to educate on the opportunities and potential [overseas]. These are big markets, and people are open to collaborating.”
YOU DON’T NEED TO BE IN L.A… AND MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T BE
Moot said the fact that creators are “genre agnostic” today “is a great thing … There is an appetite to collaborate with different music formats” — and especially with artists from other countries. He predicted C-pop will soon have a mainstream moment much like K-pop, and said WMC is encouraging its writers to travel to Asia. “It’s a fertile place to write. I say all the time, ‘Why does everyone want to come to L.A. and get in that one room?’”
“Focus on Asia for six months, and then with the creds out there you can come back to L.A. and have an easier time getting in rooms here,” added Murda.
THE MOST LUCRATIVE WAYS TO SPEND YOUR TIME
When asked what the most lucrative way to spend time today is, Coney definitively said film, explaining the duo can earn thousands of dollars writing a song for a film. Murda added that commercials pay even more: “American Express will take a song for half a million or something.”
Yet, Moot cautioned, “It’s not just about the money, it’s about how many eyeballs… Teens discover music on a Netflix show or social media. Value is in dollars, but it’s also in awareness and getting noticed.”
He also shared an important pro tip: “Most of our biggest synch songs are never written for synch… We never thought Lizzo would get this many, it just happens. I will say if you use the word ‘sunshine,’ that is the most popular word for synch. But it is an artform, we shouldn’t downplay that. But I think if you’re thinking, ‘This is going to get a synch,’ [it won’t].”
DON’T VIEW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A THREAT
While Coney admitted AI “is a little scary,” she also said, “I do think [we need to] utilize it in the correct ways — because it’s here to stay, it’s growing like a wildfire. We’ve been thinking of ways to really use AI to our advantage. Approaching AI on the songwriting side as far as making an app or plug-in for people who don’t have a crazy voice as a demo singer… [We talked about making] a plug-in with [Blu June’s] voice and [having users] type in the words, but that started happening with AI. We’re focusing on how can we integrate and be better with what’s already out.”
Moot agreed, encouraging the packed room to “just embrace it. I’ve seen so many people try and shut it down, but it’s one of the most exciting developments I’ll ever see in my career and lifetime.” He also explained the opportunity AI could create for a tiered system, with the value of “human imperfection” increasing, and ultimately pushing a class of producers and songwriters to a higher, “top tier” level.
“At the end of the day, we are tastemakers,” concluded Murda. “We’re wanted for our taste and AI can’t express that. Never forget that you’re the taste.”
BE SMART WITH YOUR MONEY
When asked about the best tips for money management, Murda offered an unconventional answer: “You gotta spend money then you learn how to save it. If you’re fortunate enough to make money off this shit, spend that shit too. Treat yourself and find things you’re passionate about to invest in.”
As for Nova Wav, the pair offered a slightly different, but very valuable, lesson: “We’ve learned to pay them taxes.”
A wide coalition of music industry organizations have joined together to release a series of core principles regarding artificial intelligence — the first collective stance the entertainment business has taken surrounding the topic. Announced during the panel “Welcome to the Machine: Art in the Age of A.I.” held on Thursday (March 16) at South by Southwest (SXSW) and moderated by Billboard deputy editorial director Robert Levine, the principles reveal a growing sense of urgency by entertainment industry leaders to address the quickly-evolving issue.
“Over the past few months, I think [generative artificial intelligence] has gone from a ‘someday’ issue to a today issue,” said Levine. “It’s coming much quicker than anyone thought.”
In response to the fast-approaching collision of generative AI and the entertainment business, the principles detail the need for using the new technology to “empower human expression” while also asserting the importance of representing “creators’ interests…in policymaking” regarding the technology. Principles geared toward the latter include ensuring that AI developers acquire licenses for artistic works used in the “development and training of AI models” — and keep records of which works are used — and that governments refrain from creating “copyright or other IP exemptions” for the technology.
Among the 40 different groups that have joined the coalition — dubbed the Human Artistry Campaign — are music industry leaders including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), SoundExchange, ASCAP, BMI and more.
Read the full list of principles below and get more information, including the full list of groups involved in the effort, here.
Core Principles for Artificial Intelligence Applications in Support of Human Creativity and Accomplishments:
Technology has long empowered human expression, and AI will be no different.
For generations, various technologies have been used successfully to support human creativity. Take music, for example… From piano rolls to amplification to guitar pedals to synthesizers to drum machines to digital audio workstations, beat libraries and stems and beyond, musical creators have long used technology to express their visions through different voices, instruments, and devices. AI already is and will increasingly play that role as a tool to assist the creative process, allowing for a wider range of people to express themselves creatively.
Moreover, AI has many valuable uses outside of the creative process itself, including those that amplify fan connections, hone personalized recommendations, identify content quickly and accurately, assist with scheduling, automate and enhance efficient payment systems – and more. We embrace these technological advances.
Human-created works will continue to play an essential role in our lives.
Creative works shape our identity, values, and worldview. People relate most deeply to works that embody the lived experience, perceptions, and attitudes of others. Only humans can create and fully realize works written, recorded, created, or performed with such specific meaning. Art cannot exist independent of human culture.
Use of copyrighted works, and use of the voices and likenesses of professional performers, requires authorization, licensing, and compliance with all relevant state and federal laws.
We fully recognize the immense potential of AI to push the boundaries for knowledge and scientific progress. However, as with predecessor technologies, the use of copyrighted works requires permission from the copyright owner. AI must be subject to free-market licensing for the use of works in the development and training of AI models. Creators and copyright owners must retain exclusive control over determining how their content is used. AI developers must ensure any content used for training purposes is approved and licensed from the copyright owner, including content previously used by any pre-trained AIs they may adopt. Additionally, performers’ and athletes’ voices and likenesses must only be used with their consent and fair market compensation for specific uses.
Governments should not create new copyright or other IP exemptions that allow AI developers to exploit creators without permission or compensation.
AI must not receive exemptions from copyright law or other intellectual property laws and must comply with core principles of fair market competition and compensation. Creating special shortcuts or legal loopholes for AI would harm creative livelihoods, damage creators’ brands, and limit incentives to create and invest in new works.
Copyright should only protect the unique value of human intellectual creativity.
Copyright protection exists to help incentivize and reward human creativity, skill, labor, and judgment -not output solely created and generated by machines. Human creators, whether they use traditional tools or express their creativity using computers, are the foundation of the creative industries and we must ensure that human creators are paid for their work.
Trustworthiness and transparency are essential to the success of AI and protection of creators.
Complete recordkeeping of copyrighted works, performances, and likenesses, including the way in which they were used to develop and train any AI system, is essential. Algorithmic transparency and clear identification of a work’s provenance are foundational to AI trustworthiness. Stakeholders should work collaboratively to develop standards for technologies that identify the input used to create AI-generated output. In addition to obtaining appropriate licenses, content generated solely by AI should be labeled describing all inputs and methodology used to create it — informing consumer choices, and protecting creators and rightsholders.
Creators’ interests must be represented in policymaking.
Policymakers must consider the interests of human creators when crafting policy around AI. Creators live on the forefront of, and are building and inspiring, evolutions in technology and as such need a seat at the table in any conversations regarding legislation, regulation, or government priorities regarding AI that would impact their creativity and the way it affects their industry and livelihood.