FMC and Net Neutrality: A Brief History

Future of Music Coalition has long advocated for policies that help artists reach potential audiences without the bottlenecks and gatekeepers so common to the original music industry. Our support of Net Neutrality reflects an ongoing commitment to a legitimate digital music marketplace where artists have access and fans can find the music they want.

Imagine logging on to your favorite band’s website, only to have it take forever to load on your computer because they couldn’t to afford (or didn’t want) to pay a toll to powerful Internet Service Providers. All artists deserve the right to use the internet to cultivate listeners, and fans deserve to make their own choices of how and where to access legitimate content. That’s why net neutrality must be preserved.

In October 2007, FMC launched the Rock the Net Campaign with founding artists R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Kronos Quartet, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Boots Riley, OK Go and more.

Rock the Net quickly picked up steam, garnering thousands of musician and indie label supporters. The campaign has also been instrumental in demonstrating to policymakers the importance of preserving open internet structures, with bands such as OK Go visiting Capitol Hill to testify before key decisionmakers about how net neutrality benefits artists like themselves.

The Future of Net Neutrality

With the new Administration and FCC leadership having attested to the importance of net neutrality, it looks good for those who would protect the open internet from the control of just a handful of powerful ISPs. Yet, as important as net neutrality is, it’s also crucial that quality and affordable broadband be made available to American communities large and small. As music continues to shift away from a physical product, digital technologies have become the new standard for the distribution, access and promotion of music. Moreover, the future of music may be more about on-demand access than the ownership of audio files, making digital connectivity that much more important to a functional music ecosystem.

Currently, many people don’t have access to broadband internet. Without this important utility at the fingertips of users, artists’ ability to connect with fans could be greatly undermined. Yet as we work to make this technology available, we must ensure that the internet continues to provide a platform for innovation and participation.

FMC stands by our commitment to a legitimate digital music marketplace that rewards both artists and fans. And you can be sure that wherever important debates about our networked future take place, we’ll be there advocating for musicians of every variety.