FAC's first meeting

Radiohead, Blur and Billy Bragg expected for Featured Artists Coalition

11 March 2009 - Today marks the first conference for the Featured Artists Coalition, a new representative body to give artists a voice in the music industry.

Members of Radiohead and Blur, along with other big names like Annie Lennox, will be meeting in London’s West End.

The FAC will enable the high-profile artists to campaign for effective laws, regulations and fair business practices, so artists and fans are not compromised by business corporations worldwide.

On the Directors’ board so far sits Blur drummer and Labour candidate David Rowntree, Jazzie B, Billy Bragg, Ed O’Brien from Radiohead, Kate Nash, Marillion’s Mark Kelly and Master Shortie.

The expected guest list includes the likes of David Gray, Nick Mason, Annie Lennox, KT Tunstall and Robbie Williams.

They aim to raise issues of the way they are treated by record companies and YouTube - in light of the music streaming website’s dispute with the Performing Rights Society over royalties. ()"There has never been a greater need for the collective voice of featured artists."

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree

YouTube have decided to pull music videos from its website because it claims PRS is charging them too much money, while PRS were “shocked” at YouTube’s actions.

Rowntree explained: “YouTube’s row with the PRS is the most recent example of just how fast the music industry is changing.

“There has never been a greater need for the collective voice of featured artists, whose music generates 95% of revenue in the industry, to be properly heard.”

With record companies keeping song rights for a period of 50 years, copyright issues are also expected to take precedence.

The summit is taking place from 4pm GMT at Heaven nightclub.

Georgie Rogers