Future of Music Policy Summit

According to Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune, The 14th annual Future of Music Policy Summit commenced on Monday. Among the topics discussed, was the role of copyright in the music industry. Copyright law has not been updated to reflect the rise in technology, and while Congress has begun to amend the current legal regime, it will take many years before significant changes are made. Thus, as touring becomes the main source of income for musical artists, how are lesser known artists to make a profit on their creations? One suggestion is the creation of a global data base of recordings. This puts the burden on the musical creators to register their works–to be more involved in their business affairs. Yet it is unclear, if there is one business model that will  best serve the music community. As technology advances, these models need to be continually updated; innovation in this field will keep the industry profitable. Hopefully the conference will establish a baseline to begin reformation in these structures.