Songwriters unite to support Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler. Pic: Zack Whitford

Songwriters Of North America (SONA) posts blog in support of Tyler’s efforts to bring awareness to issues affecting US songwriters

Following Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler’s public crusade with Donald Trump over the use of his song Dream On at several campaign events, and the op-ed by Tyler published this week on the Huffington Post, the Songwriters of North America (SONA) posted a blog on their website in full support of Tyler’s efforts to bring a needed awareness to issues affecting songwriters in the United States.

“We would like to thank a fellow songwriter, Steven Tyler, for shining a light on issues affecting songwriters’ rights,” says Michelle Lewis, Executive Director of Songwriters of North America (SONA). “His cease and desist letter to Donald Trump was not a political issue, rather an issue of vital importance to us songwriters which is the use of our music in political campaigns. We do not have the right to approve these uses because of overbearing government regulations. We hope this momentum from Steven’s efforts is carried forward to the broader discussion about the consent decrees that govern ASCAP and BMI and other outdated laws that dictate how our music is to be used and how we are paid. We must create mutually beneficial solutions for both songwriters and the digital community so we can effectively co-exist and thrive in the new music business.”

“Songs have value”

Added David Israelite, President & CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), “Steven Tyler is standing up for the rights of all American songwriters. Songs have value. And the use of those songs should be under the control of those who create them. It is only because of outdated consent decrees imposed during World War II that American songwriters don’t have control of their songs. That needs to change.”

Songwriters of North America (SONA) is a legislative advocacy group co-founded by Michelle Lewis (Cher, Little Mix, currently a full-time composer for Disney) and Kay Hanley (founding member of Letters to Cleo, currently a full-time composer for Disney), to form a unified voice on legislative issues affecting the rights of songwriters. Learn more at wearesona.com

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