![\"Charlie](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mmmboptastic.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/grammys-on-the-hill.jpg?resize=652%2C489&ssl=1\")
However, amid all the revelry at the Hamilton Live music venue in Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening, there was one issue being highlighted that the music industry takes seriously: copyright protections.<\/p>\n
Neil Portnow, the president and CEO of the Recording Academy announced a new legislative initiative he and other reps from the music industries will be campaigning for during their advocacy day at the Capitol Thursday. Portnow proposed \u201ca\u00a0music omnibus bill\u201d or a \u201cMusicBus,\u201d as he coined it during the event\u2019s keynote speech. The bill he hopes to craft with lawmakers would strengthen the copyright laws across the music industry \u2013 unifying the interests of labels, publishers, performing rights organizations and others \u2013 in addition to piecemeal proposals that have been met by pushback from the National Association of Broadcasters.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor all the complexities of the MusicBus concept, its goal is actually so simple it could fit on a bumper sticker,\u201d Portnow said. \u201c\u2019Fair market pay to all music creators across all platforms.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Zac Hanson\u00a0\u2013\u00a0of the pop group Hanson, who was there\u00a0to sing the national anthem\u00a0\u2013 voiced his support for stronger protections intellectual property, particularly in the music industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe own our own record label, we write our own songs, we\u2019ve been at it for 22 years, and I think this country\u2019s greatest export is [its] ideas,\u201d the MMBop-er told Whispers. \u201cWe just feel like in general a lot of digital mediums are amazing for fans, but in a lot of cases we see artists losing out. It\u2019s not that people need a get-rich-quick scheme but there needs to be some compensation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also stumping for stronger copyright laws were the event\u2019s marquee guests, Grammy-winning country-pop group Lady Antebellum, who were among the night\u2019s special honorees along with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and music teacher Kent Knappenberger.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to protect that art. As music becomes a little bit more diminished in its value, I think you have to protect some of these songwriters\u00a0\u2013\u00a0this is how they make a living,\u201d the band\u2019s male vocalist Charlie Kelley told Whispers.<\/p>\n
Added Hillary Scott, the female lead, \u201cWe just support the art of songwriting, the occupation of songwriting and as artists, just want to be compensated fairly.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked about other political issues the band would be willing to lend their support to, they were more coy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know everything about all the little ins and outs from a political standpoint, obviously we have our opinions and stuff but we don\u2019t ever want that to cloud the music,\u201d Kelley explained.<\/p>\n
The band said they have been approached by politicians to join their campaigns before \u2013 Lady Antebellum\u00a0was reportedly\u00a0on a list of musicians President Barack Obama\u2019s 2012 campaign sought to recruit \u2013 but for now would be staying away making any political statements.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot to sound selfish, but\u00a0there\u2019s so much of our life that\u2019s public,\u201d Scott said. “There\u2019s only a handful of things that we can keep personal between us, our spouses, our families, and that\u2019s not because we are hiding what we believe, or what we stand for, it\u2019s more just \u2013 it\u2019s about the music.\u201d<\/p>\n
They did, however cop to being big fans of the political television dramas \u201cHouse of Cards\u201d and \u201cScandal.\u201d<\/p>\n