Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
Protecting the livelihood, creativity, and identity of professional musicians across all sectors of our industry remains our constant mission. As you’ve read in previous columns, a major focus over recent months has been negotiations for a successor Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA), which covers singles, albums, streaming, radio, vinyl, and other sound recordings produced with […]
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I write this month’s column from within the boundaries of a First Nations spiritual ceremony taking place on the traditional lands of the Cherokee Nation. Out of respect for the ceremony and traditions of the people who preserve and carry forward these kinds of ceremonies, I won’t go into detail about it, except to say […]
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The Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM) conference wrapped up last week in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Celebrating their 50th year, delegates from 21 orchestras across Canada met and shared orchestra reports. They also heard from Orchestras Canada Executive Director Katherine Carleton, the Musicians Pension Fund of Canada, and other guest speakers. Attendees took part in an […]
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The AFM has consistently prioritized generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in bargaining. As our Canadian national electronic media contracts come up for renewal, we are working to incorporate GAI language that protects musicians’ recording work. Musical content recorded for film, television, or digital media is “covered work” under our agreements, whether those recordings use GAI or […]
Read MoreEveryone at the AFM, and across the music advocacy community, talks about consent, credit, and compensation in artificial intelligence development. If you’re unfamiliar with the policy position turned mantra, it has a simple meaning. First, for AI systems to use copyrightable works, developers and users must receive permission from all creators. A so-called “opt-out” system […]
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by Greg Linn, Trustee, Music Performance Trust Fund The past few months have been very active for the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) team. We’ve detailed some of the highlights here. America’s 250th Birthday To commemorate America’s 250th birthday, MPTF brought live music into the celebration, supporting 194 performances in 60 cities across the United […]
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