Todd Dupler is a Recording Academy/GRAMMY.com contributor.
Summer is in full swing, and one of the things I look forward to the most during the summer season is spending more time with my family. And I know I’m not the only one: kids are out of school, parents can take vacations, and life seems to slow down a little bit. Check your social media and you’ll see…
Last week, I got to spend a few days in Austin for SXSW. Being a Texan myself, I always relish the opportunity to eat some authentic Tex-Mex or grab a Whataburger, drink a Shiner Bock, and listen to good Texas music. But at SXSW, I most enjoy meeting with Recording Academy members who have gathered for the annual festival from all…
This week, the sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will roar into theaters, wowing audiences with another thrilling story that demonstrates why it's always a really bad idea to clone dinosaurs. But last week, a different kind of dinosaur announced a really bad idea of its own. <iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vn9mMeWcgoM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> In the 25 years since the…
This past weekend, Avengers: Infinity War broke records at the box office, taking in nearly $258 million in the U.S. and a jaw-dropping $640 million around the world. The build-up to the film's release focused on the novelty of watching dozens of Marvel superheroes team up and unite to confront an enemy so great that they can only prevail together.…
If any part of your elementary, middle or high school years were spent practicing scales on an actual musical instrument in a classroom or warbling in a chorus or stage musical with fellow students, consider yourself lucky. According to a number of research studies, your music education gave you a leg up on students without arts education by helping you…
On June 24 The Recording Academy Nashville Chapter hosted a special guest as U.S. Register of Copyrights Maria Pallante continued her "creators tour." Through a roundtable discussion with music creators representing the diverse range of music made in Music City, Pallante heard directly from Martina McBride, Better Than Ezra's Kevin Griffin, Brandon Heath, Matt Maher, and Band Of Horses' Bill…
Perhaps the biggest surprise box office hit of 2014, so far, is Marvel’s sci-fi epic Guardians Of The Galaxy. The movie’s success can be attributed to a canny blend of big-budget special effects, humor and a healthy dose of '80s nostalgia aimed at Generation Xers who are now old enough to bring their own kids to the multiplex. The latter…
The music community has a long track record of standing up for wildlife and the environment. Artists such as GRAMMY winners Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow and Dave Matthews don't simply pay lip service to this issue, they've demonstrated their commitment time and time again. But new rules recently announced by the federal government that are meant to strengthen conservation could…
Last month, this blog recounted how hundreds of music creators and Recording Academy members descended on the nation’s capital for GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day. Hundreds more reached out to Members of Congress in their home districts last year for the inaugural GRAMMYs in My District. And so far this year, thousands of music creators and music fans have…
Last year, one of The Recording Academy’s key legislative priorities was the “Songwriter Equity Act” (SEA). When Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) introduced the new legislation on February 24, 2014, standing right by his side was Daryl P. Friedman, the Academy’s Chief Advocacy & Industry Relations Officer. On April 2, at the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards, Rep. Collins was…
Recently, The Recording Academy joined with a cross-section of organizations representing the music community to submit comments to the office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator. These comments will help shape the IPEC's next long-term strategic plan to protect the work and livelihood of American creators. One area of emphasis in our comments was the notice and takedown process…
