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.
Sound Recording Labor Agreement (SRLA) negotiations began in Los Angeles on January 13-15. I am pleased to report that we had a very strong and focused beginning. These negotiations are being conducted with a level of preparation that reflects the high stakes of the modern recording industry. It’s no secret that our number one priority […]
Read More
It should be no surprise to anyone when I say that, outside the realm of traditional collective bargaining, the 20th century structure of our Federation does not match the 21st century ever-changing business of music and the needs of the musicians who must evolve with it. Technology, product distribution and consumption, AI, copyright, legal niceties […]
Read More
As musicians, learning our craft is an individual pursuit of continual practise and study. As lifelong students, nothing can replace the daily routine of flexibility studies, building endurance, learning repertoire, passing exams, and getting to a place of being hired for a job doing what we love. However, our routine must include continuous practice to […]
Read More
I was going to title my column “Everything’s Going to Hell in a Handbasket,” then I came across The Temptations’ song “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today),” recorded in 1970 against the backdrop of racism, social injustice, and civil unrest in America. It’s an apt title for today. To say that we live […]
Read More
The beauty of copyright is in the eye of the beholder. Admittedly, that is likely a sentence only an abashed intellectual property nerd could write. Perhaps it does not rise to that level of attraction, but the appeal of being a champion for creators’ rights varies. Look no further than the broad bipartisan support for […]
Read Moreby Brian Sickles, Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund (FMSMF) Executive Director One year after devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles, the vibrant city that the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund (FMSMF) and so many in the entertainment industry call home, we have only begun the long process of healing and rebuilding. Yet, mixed in with […]
Read More