Music Industry Pushes Unified Message on Compensation

When it comes to the music industry’s lobbying efforts in Washington, it is time for some harmony.

That message has gained momentum among music executives, who worry that squabbling among the various players -- record labels, music publishers, artists, songwriters -- will undermine broader initiatives to push for new legislation and regulatory reform. The head of the organization behind the Grammy Awards will host a dinner in Washington attended by some of Capitol Hill’s most powerful lawmakers and call for the industry to set aside its differences and lobby under a single message of fair compensation for all.

The speech, to be given by Neil Portnow, the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, will suggest that disparate messages from the different constituencies have stymied previous campaigns and will argue that a single, all-purpose bill is needed, according to industry executives.