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.

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Home » Recent News » UN Recognizes Reggae


UN Recognizes Reggae

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The United Nations’ cultural agency, Unesco, has inscripted reggae—a uniquely Jamaican musical tradition—into its collection of important cultural practices around the world. Reggae, which first emerged in the 1960s, has since become among Jamaica’s greatest cultural exports and an international musical language.

“While in its embryonic state Reggae music was the voice of the marginalized, the music is now played and embraced by a wide cross-section of society, including various genders, ethnic, and religious groups. Its contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice resistance, love and humanity underscores the dynamics of the element as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual, and spiritual,” reads a UN statement. “The basic social functions of the music—as a vehicle for social commentary, a cathartic practice, a means of praising God—have not changed, and the music continues to act as a voice for all.”







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