Future of Music Coalition (FMC) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) national non-profit organization specializing in education, research and advocacy for musicians with a focus on issues at the intersection of music technology, policy and law.
Background
Future of Music Coalition was founded in 2000 by Jenny Toomey, Kristin Thomson, Michael Bracy, Walter McDonough, and Brian Zisk.
Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson formed the indie rock band Tsunami in 1990 and ran the Arlington, VA-based independent label Simple Machines Records from 1990 to 1998. While running Simple Machines, Toomey and Thomson published four editions of The Mechanic's Guide, a do-it-yourself manual for the music business. Following the dissolution of Simple Machines for logistic and financial reasons, Toomey and Thomson worked with the indie rock website Insound to launch The Machine, "an online forum dedicated to exploring the possibilities and pitfalls of digital music" from the perspective of indie labels and artists. The Machine ran from 1998 to 2000, and featured interviews with musicians, independent label heads and technologists, including future FMC co-founder Brian Zisk.
In June 2000, Toomey, Thomson, Bracy, McDonough and Zisk released "The Future of Music Manifesto" announcing the formation of Future of Music Coalition.
Toomey served as Executive Director of FMC until 2008, when she left to become the Media and Cultural Policy program officer for the Ford Foundation. Thomson served in various senior staff roles from FMC's founding until 2016.
Michael Bracy co-founded the independent label Misra Records in 1999. He joined the Future of Music Coalition in July 2001 as its Government Affairs Director. He currently serves as a co-founding emeritus member of FMC and is a partner in the government affairs firm Bracy Tucker Brown & Valanzano.
Walter McDonough is a lawyer and academic with a background in copyright, technology and the independent music industry. As an attorney, he has represented the Dresden Dolls and Mission of Burma, among others. He is currently a co-founding emeritus member of FMC, and serves on the board of performance rights organization SoundExchange.
Brian Zisk is an entrepreneur and technology industry consultant specializing in digital media, web broadcasting, and distribution technologies. Zisk founded the Internet radio station Green Witch in 1999 and co-founded the real-time search company Collecta in 2009. He currently serves as a co-founding emeritus member of FMC and is the founder and executive producer of the SF MusicTech Summit.
Musician Jean Cook joined the FMC staff in 2005. Prior to FMC she helped launch Air Traffic Control, a nonpartisan organization founded by and for artists. ATC was dedicated to helping progressive songwriters and musicians lend their talents, resources and energies to educate voters about the positions and records of elected officials and candidates and to create real change around a host of progressive issues.
Musician, educator and author Casey Rae served as CEO of FMC from 2013 to 2016.
Mission and activities
FMC's stated mission is "to ensure a diverse musical culture where artists flourish, are compensated fairly for their work, and where fans can find the music they want."
FMC hosts public events, including the annual Future of Music Policy Summit; conducts original research; submits public comments, documents and testimony to legal proceedings; and organizes advocacy campaigns in an ongoing effort to raise awareness of policy issues in terms of their effect on working musicians and the independent music community.
FMC's current projects relate to issues of media ownership, particularly in the U.S. radio market; Internet and telecommunications policy; artist advocacy and community engagement; artist compensation in the music industry; and copyright.
In 2003, then Executive Director Jenny Toomey testified in front of the Federal Communications Commission about the results of FMC's research on radio consolidation, and its negative impacts on the music community.
In 2009, then Executive Director Jean Cook testified in front of the New York City Council about why net neutrality was important to musicians. In 2014, then VP for Policy and Education Casey Rae testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about the importance of preserving an open internet.