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.
January 1, 2026
As the curtain closes on 2025, a new 2026 season has begun. As each year passes, we learn from seasons past and adjust course to hopefully improve the future. This last season we slowly but surely gained strength through organizing. A successful organizing campaign in New Brunswick at a private music academy has provided a […]
January 1, 2026
After years of performing in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and recording sessions that paid more in promises than in actual checks, I’ve come to see the freelance music world differently. What once looked like a smattering of gigs and side hustles now feels like something bigger, an incredible labor force that holds up an entire industry. […]
December 1, 2025
The language of music is universal, and the fight to protect the livelihoods of the people who create and perform it knows no borders. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly ingests and mimics the work of human artists without consent, compensation, and credit, national boundaries have become obsolete. During 2025, I have worked to strengthen […]
December 1, 2025
In New York City, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor, with over 50% of the three-way vote, following one of the highest NYC voter turnouts in recent memory. His election has been hailed as a victory for the left-leaning populous, an indication of the emerging power of young adults and ethnic minorities, and portending […]
December 1, 2025
In Canada, the arts and culture sector contributed more than $65 billion to direct gross domestic product (GDP) last year. The total economic impact of the sector is over $100 billion in GDP. The reality is that arts and culture in Canada supports more jobs per dollar than other key sectors such as oil and […]
December 1, 2025
Canada plays a vital role in enhancing the diversity of the AFM. While Canadians and Americans share a supportive and harmonious relationship within the Federation, recognizing the distinct characteristics of each country helps foster greater mutual understanding. First, a few figures: Canadians represent 21% of AFM’s membership. There are 24 Canadian locals, with the largest […]
November 1, 2025
As I write this column, I am preparing to travel to Athens, Greece, for an important conference that will discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and streaming on the global stage. “Music in the Digital Age: Streaming and AI” is an international gathering that brings together artists, industry professionals, academics, journalists, legal experts, policymakers, and technologists to […]
November 1, 2025
The purpose of any union is to build power so that its members can achieve economic fairness in the workplace and justice in the political realm. Coming out of the pandemic, this Federation administration gave itself a good institutional shaking, like a Labrador Retriever coming in from a downpour, with exactly that purpose in mind. […]
November 1, 2025
We all know the musician jokes about time being more than a magazine. Time seems to move faster as we get older, and our lives revolve around a daily schedule, whether that is meetings, rehearsals, gigs, dropping kids off at school, or teaching. We can be most effective, if, when a window of opportunity opens, […]
October 31, 2025
The recent efforts to censor the voices of creative artists presents a troubling development for performing artists of all disciplines. AFM International President Tino Gagliardi’s response to ABC taking Jimmy Kimmel off the air was articulated perfectly: “This is not complicated: Trump’s FCC identified speech it did not like and threatened ABC with extreme reprisals. […]