After doing extensive research about the Performance Rights Act, I decided to do my discussion on an article I found called “H.R. 848, The Performance Rights Act: The Recording Industry’s Saving Grace?” by author Nyasha Shani Foy from New York Law School. February 2009 Congressman John Conyers, Jr introduced H.R. 848, The Performance Rights Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This law proposes to expand copyright protection for sound recordings and require Analog and AM, FM radio stations to pay for the use of sound recordings. If enforced H.R. 848 will deliver another source of revenue for copyright holders, musicians, and performers.

Nyasha’s position on the bill is of a neutral nature, Nyasha states in her conclusion that HR 848 is not a perfect solution. She goes on to say the legislation demonstrates the congress commitment to intellectual property issues. In addition she states that regardless of what happens the HR 848 will remain an important piece of legislation for all IP industry professionals. Nyasha’s position of the bill was well thought out and researched. Reading the bill you can see ripple effects that can happen if the bill is passed, thus showing just how imperfect the bill really is. As Nyasha said congress shows their dedication to IP issues in hopes of strengthening our country. A profound review and edit of this bill will make the HR848 become more realized. Regardless of the outcome, many parties will remember the IP HR848 bill.

Exclusive Rights

Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states that The Congress shall have power to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. In Short Copyright Law gives an author the right to register a copyright when a work is fixed in a tangible form for the first time. Exclusive rights also give the author the right to reproduce, perform, display, derive, and distribute works. In addition it gives the author the right to give others a license to exercise those rights.

Dr.Dre born Andre Young is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur and founder of Aftermath Entertainment. Dre has produced and molded the careers of many artists in the industry. As a producer he is recognized as a major figure in the popularization of West Coast G-funk, a sub-genre of rap music considered as synthesizer-based with slow, heavy beats. Dre road to fame in the music industry started as a member of World Class Wreckin’ Cru, Later finding fame with gangsta rap group N.W.A, popularizing the usage of explicit lyrics in rap music detailing the violence of street life. While with N.W.A Dre melded the styles of Bomb Squad with funky rhythms; reworking George Clintons elastic funk in creating G-funk, which relies on sound rather than content. Dre left N.W.A in 1992; later credited to Co-founding Death Row Records with music partner Suge Knight. Dre released his solo album The Chronic and won a Grammy Award for the single Let Me Ride becoming one of the best-selling American performing artists of 1993. For the next four years Dre’sG-funk style was used all through the hip-hop industry. 

Kraftwerk is an electronic band from Germany that played and immensely promoted electronic music. Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider formed Kraftwerk in 1970 combining driving, repetitive rhythms, catchy melodies with minimalistic and strictly used electronic instrumentation. Kraftwerk simplified lyrics are sung through a vocoder or generated by computer-speech software. Kraftwerk image was stiff and robotic.The members of the band wore suits or matching shirt and ties for their album pictures and live performances. Kraftwerk music tells a story or focuses on the theme of each of their albums. 

Marvin Gaye born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr in 1939 was a singer, songwriter and musician. Marvin began his professional career as a member of the Rainbows, a doo wop group from Washington whom made a single for Wyatt Earp that brought the attention of Harvey Fugua who recruited the group to become the Moon glows in the 1950’s Once disbanded in 1960 Marvin tackled a solo career in the music industry. Marvin won the interest of Berry Gordy, Jr., who signed him to Motown in 1961and soon after he became one of the most gifted talents in Motown, ranked as the label's top selling solo artist during the1960s Marvin Paved the way for the evolution of pop black music.

The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut album by American rock band The Velvet Underground and German singer and model Nico. It took almost a decade for the album's sales to reach six figures, and still nearly every rock group owes a clear debt to this album. This album diversity allowed Velvet Underground to try various styles of music such as wistful pop on the track Sunday Morning, rough garage rock on the track Waiting for the Man, basic R&B on the track There She Goes Again, and a minimalist love song on the track I'll Be Your Mirror. The Velvet Underground & Nico was known for its intense descriptions of drug abuse, prostitution, love, and sadomasochism in this album.

The Beach Boys are an American rock band brought together by Brian Wilson in 1961. The group was composed of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love and Friend Al Jardine. The Beach Boys were known for their unique surfer theme, close vocal harmony and story driven lyrics, prior to recording their eleventh studio album Pet Sounds.

Brian Wilson is part-time lead vocalist, most often backing vocals within The Beach Boys. Brian was also the brain behind all the arrangement, songwriting and innovative production of their albums. The release of The Beatles U.S version of the Rubber Soul album inspired Brian immensely in the creation of the Pet Sounds album. Filled with inspiration Brian contacted Tony Asher, young lyricist and jingle writer to collaborate on the songs for the Pet Sounds album.

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The Beatles were an English rock band during the 1960’s to the 70’s and one of the most successful groups in the history of Pop culture. The Beatles are best known for their love ballads prior to gaining the confidence to experiment new sonic territory, lyrical subjects,and styles of composition. Those new bold styles were used to create their greatest achievement, The Revolver album.