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.
April 1, 2025
In a significant step toward bolstering international solidarity, the AFM hosted UK Musicians’ Union (MU) General Secretary Naomi Pohl and MU Head of International Services Dave Webster at our Times Square headquarters in late February. The MU represents over 36,000 musicians across the United Kingdom. As many of you know, the AFM has a long […]
April 1, 2025
The power of music cannot be underestimated. And we musicians, of all the people on this continent, hold that power in our hands. One such example of that power is embodied in Aaron Copeland’s composition, Lincoln Portrait. The Lincoln Portrait is a very moving piece, designed to frame with music particularly powerful excerpts from speeches […]
April 1, 2025
En francais: Nouveau régime de soins de santé pour les musiciens canadiens For the last two months, we have all been caught up in the emotions of the highly charged political world we live in. Canadians are insulted by the economic warfare being waged on our identity and our resources. The solidarity of all international […]
April 1, 2025
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times …” When I was a kid tagging along with my dad on his gigs and meeting his musician friends, hearing them perform together in a concert or nightclub was only part of the experience. I also got to hear them talk about the […]
March 1, 2025
President Trump’s election has new consequences on our industry every day. As the AFM president representing musicians, I am outraged when I see government overreach and unlawful acts that jeopardize our safety and threaten our rights as workers. On stage, on public television, or anywhere in between, the AFM stands against undue influence from the […]
March 1, 2025
Anyone who lived through the early 1980s will remember US President Reagan’s sabre-rattling with the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War with its attendant threat of imminent nuclear annihilation—a group of senile old men in the Kremlin and a has-been actor in the White House, each with their gnarled fingers poised over […]
March 1, 2025
Never have I ever read so many political commentaries, opinions, and predictions than in the last month. The chaos created by the smoke show in Washington, DC, has stirred even the most apolitical segment of the population to raise eyebrows and engage with opinions. Some people have become addicted to watching the next headline news […]
March 1, 2025
The musician community has always been in the forefront of social justice and the ongoing quest for equality. Songs can express complex issues and emotions in ways that cross all boundaries. The music we make has the emotional power to take very different people to a common place. Now more than ever, women in the […]
February 1, 2025
As we enter Black History Month, I’m filled with a profound sense of gratitude for the immeasurable contributions of Black musicians to the vibrant tapestry of American music and for the contributions and sacrifices of Black labor and civil rights leaders. But Black History Month is more than just a retrospective. It’s an opportunity for […]
February 1, 2025
Since January 20 of this year, the relentless 24-hour news cycle drumbeat has forced me to reflect upon just what makes a nation great. I’ve read Project 2025, and it does not chart a pathway to national greatness. “A great nation is one that can feed the people.” That’s what a wise old Lakota elder […]