Bigsound 2024 has officially kicked off!
Catch our Partner, Marcus Walkom, speaking on the Making It Look Easy: Music Management in 2024 and Roundtables panels on September 4th 2024.
More information on the Making It Look Easy: Music Management in 2024 panel here.
More information on the Roundtables panel here.
Big congratulations to our client Pikelet Pictures on the launch of their series Videoland.
Recently winning the Best Series in the Comedy Competition at Series Mania in March, this is one you’ll want to check out. Legals by our Senior Lawyer, Stephanie Scott.
Out now on Netflix ANZ!
Join our Partner, Rob Glass, on August 19 for the Communications, Entertainment & Technology Committee, NSW Young Lawyers Sub-Committee evening discussion of music law, entertainment law, copyright and forging a unique legal trajectory!
More information can be found here.
GCAP is back in Melbourne for another year!
Media Arts Lawyers are headed over too, with Amanda Mason and Isabel Wang talking all things Intellectual Property! The session will cover the foundations to understand aspects of IP, including trade marks, copyright, infringement, developing IP and what all of it means in the context of your project. Mark October 7-9 in your diaries, you won’t want to miss it.
For full program details head here
2024 Indie-Con program welcomes a host of international and domestic speakers and will discuss challenges and opportunities faced by Australian independent labels and the music industry at large.
Media Arts Lawyers are proud to have our Partners Stephen King and Yasmin Naghavi joining the incredible speaker lineup.
Full program details here.
Calling all QLD based artists! It’s not too late to RSVP to the QMusic Connect “It’s A Business/ The Release Cycle” session, taking place tonight at O’Skulligans, Fortitude Valley. Led by a panel of successful managers, accountants, and lawyers – including our very own Marcus Walkom – it’s sure to be a valuable session for anyone who wants to learn more about navigating the music business.
To sign up and find more information, click here
The 2022 ARIA Music Awards is almost here! Nominees for this year’s awards have been announced and the range of talent is astounding.
We are so proud to represent some of Australia’s finest artists and would like to give a massive congratulations to our clients – Amyl and The Sniffers, Brett Aplin, Budjerah, Confidence Man, courtney barnett, Daniel Johns, DUNE RATS, Flume, Gang of Youths, Julia Jacklin, King Stingray, LUUDE, Northlane, MAY-A music, Pip Norman, Ruel, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Teeny Tiny Stevies, The Beanies, The Chats, The Teskey Brothers, Thelma Plum, Thornhill, Tones And I, Vance Joy on their achievement!
“What works for us is being immersed in our clients’ area as well as in the law. We’re music industry native. We’re interested in being across new talent and what’s going on.”
Media Arts Lawyers’ founding partner, David Vodicka, recently spoke to the Law Society Journal and shared his insights on what it takes to succeed as a music lawyer. Read the article here.
📣PPCA Registrations due August 31st📣
If you are an Australian citizen or resident, who is a featured performer on a released Master recording, you may be entitled to register for public performance income from PPCA.
Artists must register by August 31st to participate in this year’s round of direct artist payments. For more information, visit this link.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to PPCA directly or contact one of our lawyers on law@mediaartslawyers.com
Huge congratulations to Spacey Jane for their brilliant work on their album, ‘Here Comes Everybody’, which debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart!
You can read more about it here
Applications for AIR’s Women In Music Mentor Program are now open to women, women-identifying and non-binary individuals.
The Women in Music Mentor program is a nation-wide mentoring and training program aimed at empowering women in the Australian music industry.
Since its inception in 2020, the program has helped connect and guide women, women-identifying and non-binary participants working in or aspiring to work in creative (solo artists, band members, songwriters), technical (engineers, producers, etc.) and/or business roles (managers, promoters, record labels, etc.) within the Australian music industry.
Apply now here
Attention Designers and Creatives: Be sure to introduce yourself / say hi to Partner and creative industries maven, Yasmin Naghavi, at this year’s The Design Conference. She’ll be co-hosting the stage this Friday with Josephmark’s big thinker and all-round legend, Ben Johnston, and will otherwise be hanging around to enjoy the excellent speaker lineup (and slightly better than Melbourne weather). Check out The Design Conference Facebook Page here.
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the day the High Court of Australia handed down its landmark decision of overturning “terra nullius” and recognising native title in the Mabo case. Now, the 3rd of June is also known as Mabo Day and is the final day of Reconciliation Week. Mabo Day commemorates this historic moment in Australian and First Nation’s history and recognises the achievements of Eddie Koiki Mabo, a First Nations land rights activist and Torres Strait Island man. You can read more about it here.
A defamation lawyers insight: Amanda Mason of Media Arts Lawyers weighs in on the ongoing defamation trial centred on Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard and how it could change the way defamation claims involving US defendants are viewed in Australia. For more information, visit here
On Tuesday, the 40th anniversary of the APRA Music Awards was celebrated in Melbourne, a prestigious event that recognises the achievements of Australian singers and songwriters.
Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners for this year.
Congratulations to the incredible Troy Cassar-Daley. Troy has taken out the awards for both Male Artist of the Year and Top Selling Album of the year at the Golden Guitar Awards 2022 and now holds the record number of wins at the Awards at an amazing 40!!
You can read all about it here.
We are on the hunt for an experienced Film-Television Production / Commercial Solicitor to join either our Melbourne or Sydney office.
This is an exciting role for a high performing, innovative and driven individual who is looking to work with the best in Australia’s entertainment industry.
If you know someone who should apply, you can visit the full job ad here
Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees of the 2022 Queensland Music Awards. Also, a special shout-out to our award winning clients (in no particular order)-
Soul/Funk/RNB Award: Lucian Blomkamp for his work on Miiesha’s Made for Silence
Folk Award & Pop Award: Aidan Hogg for his work on Asha Jefferies’ Crybaby
Indigenous Award: Jem Cassar-Daley Music for Letting Go
Highest Selling Album: Amy Shark for Cry Forever
Youth (Ages 10-17) Award: Paulina for Parasite
Album of the Year: The Jungle Giants for Love Signs
Our lovely administration assistant, Jess Moran, is due to go on maternity leave in May/June so we are seeking a maternity cover to join our team while she bonds with her little one. If you know of anyone suitable, please pass it on. See ad here
The results are in and we are thrilled that the incredible RÜFÜS DU SOL took out the award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording for their song Alive. For more information visit here.
Rob Glass spoke with Lawyers Weekly recently about his career to date and representing some of Australasia’s leading names. Read the full article here
Yasmin Naghavi talks to Australasian Lawyer about being appointed the first female partner of Media Arts Lawyers as well as befriending clients. Get an insight into the life of an Entertainment Lawyer here.
Members of APRA AMCOS who have had to cancel gigs, concerts and festival appearances due to COVID-19 are now eligible to claim live performance royalties.
The initiative aims to give financial support to those who have lost royalties from performances in Australia in New Zealand from 1 October 2021 to 28 February 2022. Click here for more information.
We are extremely excited to announce that our CFO, Maria Amato, has been appointed chair of the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) board.
Maria is WIN’s first female chair, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere.
Congratulations Maria!
Triple J’s iconic Hottest 100 countdown happened last weekend and was choc-a-block full of the biggest songs of 2021. Congratulations to all involved, including our incredible clients:
Spacey Jane, RÜFÜS DU SOL, The Jungle Giants, Amyl and The Sniffers, Peach PRC, Middle Kids, Peking Duk, King Stingray, Dune Rats, Dom Dolla, G Flip, Luude, Tame Impala, The Amity Affliction, The Terrys, Hayden James, Telenova, Slowly Slowly, Tyne-James Organ and Client Liaison.
For a full list of the winners, click here.
We are very excited to share the news that Yasmin Naghavi, Rob Glass and Marcus Walkom have been made Partners at our firm. Huge (and much deserved) congratulations!
Australasian Lawyer Magazine
Congratulations to everyone who took home an ARIA Award last night as well as to everyone who was nominated.
We wanted to do a big shout out to our clients for the following awards –
Song Of The Year – Booster Seat by Spacey Jane
Best Group – RÜFÜS DU SOL
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist – Budjerah
Best Country Album – The World Today by Troy Cassar-Daley
Best Dance Release – Alive by RÜFÜS DU SOL
Best Original Soudtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album – Life Is Strange by Angus and Julia Stone
The nominees are in for the 64th Grammy Awards which will be presented on 31 January 2022. Congratulations to RÜFÜS DU SOL, who has been nominated for Best Dance / Electronic Recording and Arooj Aftab, who has been nominated for both Best New Artist and Best Global Music Performance.
The finalists for Australia’s most illustrious music awards, the ARIA Awards, have been announced and the range of artists who have been nominated are truly outstanding in all genres. We are proud to represent some of Australia’s finest musicians and want to shout out a massive congratulations to our clients Amy Shark, Big Scary, Budjerah, Cosmo’s Midnight, Dom Dolla, Gretta Ray, Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald, Julia Stone, Masked Wolf, MAY-A, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Spacey Jane, Tash Sultana, The Teskey Brothers, Thelma Plum, Troy Cassar-Daley and Ziggy Alberts.
Congrats to Peach PRC on signing a worldwide publishing deal with Kobalt Music. The Music Network
We are excited to announce that Jessica Iuliano has been appointed to the board for the Australian Guild of Screen Composers. Jessica joins Pru Montin (VIC/L.A), Elizabeth Drake (Vic), Hylton Mowday (NSW), VP Operations Me-Lee Hay (NSW), and VP Marketing Dale Cornelius (Vic), with President Antony Partos (NSW). The AGSC has also launched a monthly Composer to Composer interview series on YouTube, highlighting the talents and work practises of Australian screen composers, created an AGSC Women’s Playlist, established in partnership with NATSIMO the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Screen Composer Four Week Intensive, participated in the APRA AMCOS Women’s Mentorship program, and has been building key relationships with tertiary institutions nationally through the delivery of free educational webinars. To learn more, head to:
https://agsc.org.au/
As part of the Melbourne International Games week, Yasmin Naghavi will be speaking at the Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music In Games conference on 7 October 2021.
Tickets are free but get in quick, because they won’t last long. To find out more and register, please visit Music In Games
Our very own Rob Glass is the latest guest speaker on Australian Music and Culture Podcast the “Den Of Truth”. In this episode Rob runs through the pros and cons of signing with a record label vs being independent, the key terms in a management agreement and why a good music lawyer should be used as part of the Artist’s team, and not just on an “as-needs” basis. Spotify
Rock Posters has joined a campaign for Victorians to get vaccinated. Media Arts Lawyers is proud to join the initiative alongside Melbourne’s leading business and entertainment companies, to encourage Victorians to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and in turn support the reopening of this great city.
The 20 finalists for New Zealand’s most prestigious songwriting award have been selected from over 250 entries. The APRA Silver Scroll Awards recognises outstanding achievement in the craft of songwriting. A massive congratulations to The Beths, Chris Chetland, Dallas Tamaira, Devin Abrams, Reb Fountain, Madeline Bradley (of deryk), Louis Baker, Mona Sanei (of CHAII), Troy Kingi and Alien Weaponry. Ka Pai!
Nice to be able to share this announcement – MAY-A partners with Atlantic Records: Billboard
A great opportunity to participate in the AIR Women In Music Mentor Program is now available. Applications are now open for the 2021 Women in Music Mentor Program.
Led by the Australian Independent Record Labels Association, the mentor program is a four-year nationwide mentoring and training program aimed at empowering women in the Australian music industry.
This exciting opportunity is open to all female, female-identifying, and non-binary participants working in, or aspiring to work in creative (solo artists, band members, songwriters), technical (engineers, producers, etc.) and/or business roles (managers, promoters, record labels, etc.) within the Australian music industry.
Applications can be submitted via Women In Music.
Applications close at 5pm on 16 July 2021!
This year’s prestigious 30 Under 30 Award winners represent a diverse cross section of the industry, with only the best of the best making it into the final list.
It is with great pleasure that we congratulate our own Jessica Iuliano as one of the winners – what an amazing achievement.
The national awards program is supported by APRA AMCOS, MTV, Radio Today, Sony Music Australia, TikTok and Universal Music Australia, and offers future industry leaders the chance to showcase their achievements and propel their careers forward.
Congratulations Jessica!
#30under30
Voting is still open for the Reader’s Choice Awards and you can vote for Jessica here –
The Music Network
Congrats to the team at Josephmark for winning a 2021 The Webby Awards for “Wheel of Foreplay”
Webby Awards
We’re excited to have advised on an exciting new online series entitled “Phenomena” – a co-production between Gatti Pty Ltd and Mashup Pictures, featuring an original score composed by Kim Moyes.
Described as “A psychedelic journey from chaos to geometry – where art and science collide to explore the patterns and evolution of nature – and our relationship to it”, you can check out the first episode here – YouTube
Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30: We are extremely proud to announce that this year we have two finalists for the 2021 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards, both Kristin Churley and Jessica Iuliano.
These awards identify the finest young lawyers across Australia and provide industry wide recognition for outstanding achievement in law for the Sports and Entertainment category.
Congratulations to both Kristin and Jessica!
#LawyersWeekly30Under30
https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/lawyersweekly-30under30/winners/2021-finalists
We were thrilled to attend the APRA Music Awards last night and we are honoured to celebrate the excellence in contemporary music.
We were even more proud of the fact that so many of our clients brought home awards on the night. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.
A massive congrats to all of our clients who were recognised as achieving outstanding success in their fields (in no particular order):
Kevin Parker
Flume
The Teskey Brothers
Eric Dubowsky
Jon Hume
Lindsey Jackson
For a full list of winners, head to: https://www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/awards/apra-music-awards-2021#_137939
We are very proud once again to be a sponsor for the Taite Music Prize for 2021 and we offer our congratulations to reb fountain who has been announced as the winner of the 2021 Taite Music Prize for her self-titled album. Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of New Zealand’s most respected music journalists, the Taite Music Prize recognises outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music contained in one recording.
You can read all about it here >
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU2104/S00127/reb-fountain-wins-2021-taite-music-prize.htm#:~:text=Named%20after%20the%20late%20Dylan,music%20contained%20in%20one%20recording
We were honored to be a sponsor of the WAMAwards which took place in Perth on Tuesday night as part of WA Music Week to celebrate the very best of WA music. Huge congratulations to clients Spacey Jane and Tame Impala who tied for Best Album. It was a particularly big night for Spacey Jane with the band also winning Best Pop Act, Most Popular Act, and Best Single for Booster Seat. Our congrats also go out to client Noah Dillon who won best EP.
For a full list of winners head to > https://wamfest.com.au/wamawards/winners/
Huge congrats to our client Thelma Plum who won this year’s prestigious Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition for her song ‘Better In Blak’. The competition was launched to recognise excellence in songwriting as well as to raise money for music therapy charity, Nordoff Robbins. Since it’s release, ‘Better In Blak’ has received critical acclaim from both fans and industry alike taking out ninth place in the 2019 Triple J’s Hottest 100 and making the top five in APRA’s Song of the year 2020.
Our congratulations also goes out to clients Ruel who came runner up and Carla Geneve who took out the emerging songwriter prize.
To listen to the full list of finalists, head here > https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1CJii9cCPQvEn2fKNVeq7l?si=6qjuY5wzQwW1OmmL4BnMtw
Sound States is an exciting new WA based mentorship program for emerging music managers and self managed artists with a focus on DIY approaches and empowering creative minds. Music lawyer, Kristin Churley, will be participating this year as a mentor to the next generation of artists and artist managers.
triple j’s Hottest 100 happened over the weekend and was packed full of 2020’s biggest and best songs. Australian acts made up a whopping 66 per cent of this year’s winners (tying with 2016 for the most Australian entries on record) and we were thrilled to see so many of our clients on the list. Our congrats goes out to the following clients, in order of chart appearance:
2. Spacey Jane – Booster Seat
3. Flume – The Difference
5. Tame Impala – Lost in Yesterday
7. G Flip – Hyperfine
8. The Jungle Giants – Sending Me Ur Loving
9. Hilltop Hoods – I’m Good?
13. Mallrat – Rockstar
15. Spacey Jane – Skin
17. Tame Impala – Is It True
22. Eves Karydas – Complicated
28. Spacey Jane – Straightfaced
31. San Cisco – Reasons
32. DMA’S – Criminals
33. Tame Impala – Breathe Deeper
34. Amy Shark – Everybody Rise
41. The Smith Street Band – I Still Dream About You
43. Ziggy Alberts – Together
45. Ruel – as long as you care
50. Peking Duk & The Wombats – Nothing To Love About Love
52. DMA’S – The Glow
56. San Cisco – On The Line
61. RUBY FIELDS – Pretty Grim
64. The Amity Affliction – Soak Me In Bleach
65. Amy Shark – C’MON [Feat. Travis Barker]
70. Nick Murphy/Chet Faker – Low
72. Ocean Alley – Way Down
78. G Flip – Lady Marmalade [triple j Like A Version]
81. Spacey Jane – Weightless
82. The Chats – The Clap
83. Cosmo’s Midnight & Ruel– Down For You
85. DUNE RATS – Too Tough Terry
88. Bronson – HEART ATTACK [Feat. lau.ra]
89. The Jungle Giants – In Her Eyes
92. Thelma Plum – These Days
96. Hockey Dad – Germaphobe
99. Hockey Dad – Itch
For the full list of winners head to > https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/20/
Music Victoria Awards 2020: The annual Music Victoria Awards 2020 were streamed live from Melbourne Recital Centre this week as part of Melbourne Music Week. It was a massive night for our client Amyl and The Sniffers who took out Best Band and Best Live Act with lead singer, Amy Taylor, also being crowed Best Musician. Our congratulations also goes out to our client The Teskey Brothers who won Best Regional Act in the industry voted category.
For the full list of winners head to > https://www.musicvictoria.com.au/introducing-the-2020-music-victoria-award-winners/
AACTA Industry Awards 2020: Best of luck to our clients tonight who have been nominated for Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) awards in the following categories (appearing in alphabetical order)
Andy Allen (for Masterchef Australia’s nomination) – Best Reality Program
Bounce Patrol – Best Online Entertainment
Chloe Ting – Best Online Entertainment
Mighty Car Mods- Best Online Entertainment
Tony Thorne (for Little J and Bug Cuz’ nomination) – Best Children’s Program
Congratulations! Click here for full list of nominees and winners https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/nominees-and-winners/
The ARIA Awards were held last night in partnership with YouTube Music and celebrated the incredible talent of Australian artists who continue to prove their excellence both in Australia and globally. Huge congratulations to the following clients (in alphabetical order) who took out an award last night:
Amy Shark | Dom Dolla | Fanny Lumsden | Kevin Parker (individually Producer and Engineer of the Year) | Tame Impala | Teeny Tiny Stevies | The Teskey Brothers
For the full list of winners head to > https://www.aria.com.au/awards/
Australian Podcast Awards: The Australian Podcast Awards is an annual celebration of the quality and breadth of Australian podcast content. This year, our client StoryProjects were awarded Podcast of the Year for their podcast “Birds Eye View” which is the culmination of a two-year audio storytelling project in the Darwin Correctional Centre. One of a number of public health initiatives designed to minimise alcohol-related harm, the project involved workshops and mentoring in field recording, interviewing, editing, vocal techniques, body percussion, scripting and slam poetry. This is a huge achievement and we send our congratulations to the StoryProjects team.
To listen to the podcast head to https://www.birdseyeviewpodcast.net/podcast or search “Birds Eye View” on your preferred podcast platform.
Niche Productions and The Street University Mt Druitt have partnered up to deliver the Passion to Pro program which is aimed at empowering participants with practical skills to apply to their own music career. The program is centered on a series of music industry panel discussions covering a range of topics from basic business to live touring. Senior music lawyer Rob Glass is presenting at Passion to Pro this Thursday as part of the “Basics of Getting Your Project Business Smart” panel. For more details on the panel and to register head to > tinyurl.com/passiontopro
Congratulations to the following clients who have been nominated for an ARIA Award (in alphabetical order):
Amy Shark
Briggs
DMA’S
Dom Dolla
Fanny Lumsden
Flume
Josh Pyke
Katie Noonan
KLP
Hilltop Hoods
Illy
Mallrat
Northeast Party House
Polaris
Ruel
RÜFÜS DU SOL
Sally Seltmann & Darren Seltmann
Tame Impala
Teeny Tiny Stevies
The Amity Affliction
The Jungle Giants
The McClymonts
The Teskey Brothers
Tkay Maidza
Violent Soho
Vlossom
We are humbled to work with such talented artists and their teams. For the full list of nominees head to > https://www.aria.com.au/awards/nominees
Voting is now open for the the inaugural Acclaim All-Stars Awards. The All-Stars are dedicated to highlighting and elevating the highest achievers in Australian hip hop and were created as a means for fans and the Australian hip hop community to formally acknowledge and celebrate the success of Australian hip hop artists. The total prize pool exceeds $60,000 in value and includes recording equipment, footwear and apparel, international industry support and much more. Voting closes 31 October 2020 so get your votes in now! More info > https://allstars.acclaimmag.com/about/
The 2020 AIR Awards took place last night, celebrating independently released Australian music. Congratulations are in order for the following clients (in alphabetical order) who took out awards >
Angie McMahon | Dom Dolla | DZ Deathrays | Julia Jacklin | Stella Donnelly | The Jungle Giants | Northlane
Australian Independent Record Labels Association
https://www.air.org.au/awards
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association Awards are back again this year in celebration of Australia’s independent music sector. The Awards will be broadcast live and free via YouTube for the first time ever and will feature performances from our clients Angie McMahon, The Teskey Brothers and Stella Donnelly.
We’re proud supporters of the Awards and look forward to tonight’s virtual celebration!
Livestream the awards from 8:30pm AEST here > https://tinyurl.com/airawards2020
We were very proud to help Leo Burnett Australia put together a campaign for BONDS Bloody Comfy Period Undies. A great campaign with incredible songs and performances:
Media Arts Lawyers is proud to launch the WXIM Pro Bono Initiative aimed at providing legal support to women (trans and cis), non-binary and gender non-conforming artists and music, film and creative industry professionals.
For the full run down and how to apply head to > https://tinyurl.com/MAL-WXIMprobono
The Women in Music Mentor Program led by the Australian Independent Record Labels Association is an incredible four year initiative aimed at empowering women in the Australian music industry. The program focuses on professional development and broadening skill sets within the music industry by pairing mentors with mentees based on the goals they wish to achieve. The program is open to all female, female-identifying and non-binary participants working in, or aspiring to work in, the Australian music industry. Applications are now open and can be submitted via https://wim.grantplatform.com/. Applications close on the 31 July 2020!
Trump Can’t Get What He Wants: The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty’s estate have threatened legal action against Donald Trump for using their music at his political rallies without permission. Making the point that Trump in fact can’t always get what he wants, the band’s legal team have issued numerous cease and desist letters to Trump’s campaign for unauthorised use of the band’s songs. Partner, Julian Hewitt, and senior music lawyer, Marcus Walkom, have both been on the airwaves this week to discuss the major issues underlying the matter. To hear the full run down from both interviews head to >
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/newsradio/rolling-stones-threaten-to-sue-us-president-donald/12402180
The Virtual APRA Music Awards 2020 Live took place Monday night and while the ceremony ran a little differently this year, it was great to see the music community band together to celebrate outstanding success in songwriting at the virtual awards. Massive congrats to those clients who were recognised for their songwriting achievements. A very special mention to longstanding client, Hilltop Hoods, for taking out Songwriter of the Year!
For a full list of winners head to > https://apraamcos.com.au/news/2020/may/winners-of-2020-virtual-apra-music-awards-announced/
A recent defamation matter run by our reputation team, on behalf of client Daniel Johns: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9375183/daniel-johns-six-figure-settlement-news-corp-defamation-casebillboard.com
Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30: We are extremely proud to announce that our very own Kristin Churley has been named a finalist in the 2020 Lawyers Weekly Awards. These awards identify the finest young lawyers across Australia and provide industry wide recognition for outstanding achievement in law. Kristin has been recognised for her both her talent and professional accomplishments in entertainment law. Congratulations Kristin!
#LawyersWeekly30Under30
https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/lawyersweekly-30under30/winners/2020-finalists
Long term client and Aussie hip hop legends, Hilltop Hoods dropped a new track last week with all proceeds being donated to Support Act. “I’m Good?” was written in isolation, about isolation and in aid of road crew who have been devastated by the impact of COVID-19. We were proud to be on board and kick off the fundraising along with Island Records, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Blue Max Music. You can also donate by heading to supportact.org.au/donate-now/ and select the ‘Roadies (Crew) Fund’.
Experts in Residence presented by the Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) is a series of collaborations with accomplished business professionals to provide one-on-one expert advice to small Victorian music businesses. The sessions run for an hour and are aimed at giving small music businesses access to professional services in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Applications are now open to meet with our senior lawyers, Yasmin Naghavi and Marcus Walkom. Yasmin is available to discuss areas of employment, contract law and force majeure matters while Marcus is available to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on all facets of the music industry, contracting and future impacts on music industry agreements. To read more about our lawyers and apply for a session please head to https://www.vmdo.com.au/expertsinresidence or email info@vmdo.com.au.vmdo.com.au
Many clients have been contacting us about their legal rights and obligations during this uncertain period. To understand the difference between stand downs, redundancies, and more – contact yasmin@mediaartslawyers.com
A playlist to get you through isolation, put together by our team and jam packed with our clients!
PPCA have introduced an emergency policy to provide a one off advance to registered artists who have suffered hardship as a result of COVID-19. Registered artists who wish to take advantage of the advance should contact distribution.mail@ppca.com.au to determine their eligibility.
For the full press release > https://tinyurl.com/PPCAGrantppca.com.au
Feeling a little helpless in this strange, testing time? All round legend Charlotte Abroms (Hear Hear Group) launched a fundraiser this week in aid of Support Act to help those members of the music industry who are suddenly without work. Support Act delivers crisis relief and counselling services to artists, crew and music workers and they are providing vital breathing space to members of the arts community who have been seriously impacted by the fallout from COVID-19.
If you’re able to, please consider making a donation to Support Act.
You can donate here > https://www.facebook.com/donate/2689822821065306/
You can read more about Support Act here > https://supportact.org.au/
Support Act 24/7 Wellbeing Helpline 1800 959 500
The live performance industry has taken a massive blow in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. We have seen unprecedented cancellations for both international and domestic live performances with losses estimated in the hundreds of millions. In response, the arts community has come together yet again for a two-day isolation live stream festival with some of Australia’s favourite artists.
Isol-Aid kicks off tomorrow at 12pm AEST with live self-isolation performances from the likes of Angie McMahon, Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, Didirri, Ainslie Wills, Spacey Jane and many, many more.
For more info > https://www.facebook.com/events/228594401659430/
Hottest 100 of the Decade: It’s an uncertain time for many in the music industry so it’s important now more than ever to keep cheering each other on. So on that note, we’d like to take a moment to congratulate our clients who landed in triple j’s Hottest 100 of the Decade last weekend. We are so proud to work with such an amazing bunch of artists who have built remarkable careers in music. Big congrats to the following clients who made top ten and to all of our other clients who placed:
#1 The Less I know The Better – Tame Impala
#2 Somebody That I Used To Know – Gotye
#4 Covered In Chrome – Violent Soho
#5 Innerbloom – RÜFÜS DU SOL
#6 Magnolia – Gang of Youths
#8 Never Be Like You – Flume
#10 Brother – Matt Corby
You can check out a full list here > https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/decade/2010s/#/1-100abc.net.au
MAL’s Current Response to Outbreak of COVID-19:
To our valued clients,
On behalf of all of us at Media Arts Lawyers, we hope this message finds you safe and well.
In light of current developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to inform you of the actions we are taking in regards to the continuity of our business and our efforts to support our clients, employees and the wider community. At this point in time, NO Media Arts Lawyers staff member has been directly affected by COVID-19 or have suffered or are suffering any symptoms linked to COVID-19.
However, in preparation for the potential disruption our business may face from this constantly evolving situation, we have implemented a number of procedures to: (i) reduce the impact to our day-to-day business operations; (ii) ensure we can continue to assist and advise our clients in relation to their business and legal needs; and (iii) keep our employees and the wider community safe.
Effective immediately we have put the following procedures in place:
1. An updated health & safety policy has been implemented requiring all Media Arts Lawyers employees to take additional care and precautions in respect of their own and all other employees health and safety whilst at work in an attempt to minimise the potential spread of COVID-19;
2. If an employee suspects that they, or a person they reside with, has COVID-19 or are otherwise showing any symptoms of COVID-19, such employee will self-quarantine and work from their home until either: (i) a healthcare provider examines the employee and confirms that they do not have COVID-19, or (ii) a healthcare provider diagnoses the employee with COVID-19 and thereafter clears them to return to the office; and
3. All non-essential business travel has been halted.
We have taken the decision to ensure the safety of our employees and clients to require that all employees work from home for a specified period. The current working from home period is with effect from close of business on March 16th 2020 until close of business on March 20th 2020. We will be assessing the need to extend the requirement for employees to work from home prior to the end of the current period and will provide an update.
As a business that operates throughout the world, we are accustomed to working from many locations and timezones and accordingly we do not foresee any direct impact at this stage to our working capabilities and capacity. Further, our existing secure cloud-based technology, together with the procedures we have implemented, aim to ensure we can continue working throughout this uncertain time with minimal disruption via email, phone, video conference and other remote access and communication tools.
We of course note the potential disruption and uncertainty you may be facing with your business and existing contractual arrangements. Please do not hesitate to contact us immediately to discuss any current concerns around your ongoing business operations and needs – we are here to assist as needed and where we can.
If you, or someone you know, works in music or entertainment and needs someone to talk to, the Support Act team are available 24/7. Support Act Wellbeing Helpline – 1800 959 500.
Warm regards,
David Vodicka, Stephen King and Julian Hewitt
Partners, Media Arts Lawyers
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19): We’re seeing the novel coronavirus raise a number of complex legal issues for our clients, particularly for those operating live events and music festivals. We are encouraging our clients to proactively consider how COVID-19 will impact their businesses, employees and upcoming events, and to mitigate that risk where needed. If you’re concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on your event or business – we’re here to help, contact Kristin at kristin.churley@mediaartslawyers.com.
Congratulations are in order for our client, Tame Impala, who’s hugely anticipated fourth studio album “The Slow Rush” debuted this week at No 1 in Australia, No 3 in the US and No 3 in the UK. This is Tame’s second Australian ARIA Chart No 1 after “Currents” went straight to No 1 in 2015 and highest ever US chart position. Big congrats to Kevin and his team!
To listen to “The Slow Rush” on Spotify > https://open.spotify.com/album/31qVWUdRrlb8thMvts0yYL
Calling out to all independent record labels – expressions of interest are now open to attend A2IM Indie Week in New York this June! Details are in the post below
Eurovision Australia Decides: Wishing luck to our clients Didirri, Casey Donovan, and Jaguar Jonze, who will perform at EAD this weekend and compete for the chance to represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020! Check out their entry songs and find details on how you can vote for these amazing acts here -https://eurovisionaustralia.tv/index.php/2020-artists/eurovisionaustralia.tv
Congratulations to all of our clients who made it on triple j’s Hottest 100 over the long weekend – we’re stoked to represent 41 of the 65 Australian chart entries! Listed here in order of countdown:
2. Flume feat. Vera Blue — ‘Rushing Back’
3. Mallrat — ‘Charlie’
6. G Flip — ‘Drink Too Much’
8. The Jungle Giants — ‘Heavy Hearted’
9. Thelma Plum — ‘Better In Blak’
10. Hilltop Hoods feat. Illy and Ecca Vandal — ‘Exit Sign’
18. Tame Impala — ‘Borderline’
20. DMA’S — ‘Silver’
22. Ruel — ‘Painkiller’
30. Flume feat. Reo Cragun — ‘Friends’
33. Dom Dolla — ‘San Frandisco’
38. Ruel — ‘Face To Face’
43. Tame Impala — ‘It Might Be Time’
48. Ziggy Alberts — ‘Intentions (22)’
49. Ruel — ‘Free Time’
50. HOLY HOLY— ‘Teach Me About Dying’
52. Tame Impala — ‘Patience’
57. Slowly Slowly — ‘Jellyfish’
58. G Flip — ‘Lover’
59. Mallrat and Basenji — ‘Nobody’s Home’
60. Hockey Dad — ‘I Missed Out’
61. Holy Holy — ‘Maybe You Know’
64. George Alice — ‘Circles’
65. Thelma Plum — ‘Homecoming Queen’
66. G Flip — ‘Stupid’
69. Violent Soho — ‘Vacation Forever’
72. Angie McMahon — ‘Pasta’
73. Cub Sport— ‘Party Pill’
74. Hayden James feat. NAATIONS — ‘Nowhere To Go’
75. Golden Features and The Presets — ‘Paradise’
77. G Flip — ‘I Am Not Afraid’
78. Thelma Plum — ‘Not Angry Anymore’
80. Spacey Jane — ‘Good For You’
81. Flume feat. London Grammar — ‘Let You Know’
82. Peking Duk and Jack River — ‘Sugar’
83. Alex Lahey— ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ (Like A Version)
92. Client Liaison — ‘The Real Thing’
94. Allday — ‘Protection’
97. San Cisco — ‘Skin’
99. Cosmo’s Midnight — ‘C.U.D.I (Can U Dig It)’
100. DUNE RATS— ‘No Plans’
Here’s to another year of Aussies dominating the charts!
Full list at: https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/19/#/1-100abc.net.au
The Biggest Little Farm premieres this Thursday 16 Jan and we have three family passes to giveaway! The Biggest Little Farm chronicles the eight year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. The film features an urgent message to heed Mother Nature’s call and provides us all a vital blueprint for better living and a healthier planet.
To win a Family Pass (4 for the price of 2), like this post and tell us how you plan to be more sustainable in 2020! #TheBiggestLittleFarm
To see the official trailer, head here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcQKWkpPB3U&feature=emb_titleyoutube.com
We are on the hunt for a superstar Trademark Attorney/Solicitor to join our Melbourne team! If you are an experienced trademark attorney and solicitor who is passionate about the creative industries, or if you know someone who is, send your CV and cover letter to maria.amato@mediaartslawyers.com.
https://www.seek.com.au/job/40719581?_ga=2.215236948.256774559.1578879685-55697365.1566943021
The 2019 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) were announced in Sydney this week and congratulations are due to our client, Francois Tetaz, who won ‘Best Original Score’ for his work in Judy & Punch. The AACTA Awards recognise excellence in screen and are considered one of the highest achievements in Australian film and television. Francois adds this award to a list of impressive feats including two Grammys and an Australian Guild of Screen Composers ‘Feature Film Score of the Year’ Award for his work in Wolf Creek. Congratulations Francois!
For a full list of winners > https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/winners-and-nominees/
Another year and another ARIA Week comes to a close! Congratulations again to all our clients who went home with ARIA Awards on Wednesday night, listed in no particular order:
The Teskey Brothers – Best Group and Best Blues & Roots Album for ‘Run Home Slow’ (Ivy League Records)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Best Dance Release for ‘Solace’ (Rose Avenue Records/Sony Music Australia)
Kaiit – Best Soul/R&B Release for ‘Miss Shiney’ (Alt. Music Group/Ditto Music)
Amyl and The Sniffers – Best Rock Album for ‘Amyl and The Sniffers’ (Flightless Records)
Northlane – Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album for ‘Alien’ (UNFD)
Hilltop Hoods – Best Australian Live Act for ‘Hilltop Hoods, The Great Expanse World Tour’ (Hilltop Hoods/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Here’s to another year of great Aussie music!
The MAL team got all dressed for the ARIA Awards 2019 which kick off tonight! Best of luck to all the nominees 🙌
Last Friday marked the launch of Indigemoji – the world’s first complete sticker set of Indigenous emoji made on Arrernte land in Mparntwe/Alice Springs. The App has already topped the Apple store charts as the number one social networking app in Australia this week! Congratulations to the Indigemoji team, we’re very proud to have assisted with this inspiring project!
You can download the App for free at www.indigemoji.com.au
The nominees for the Grammy Awards 2020 were announced this week and we were very chuffed to spot a few of our clients on the list. The biggest congratulations to Flume, RÜFÜS DU SOL and The Teskey Brothers on your nominations.
For the full list of nominees > https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2020-grammy-awards-complete-nominees-list#3grammy.com
Electronic Music Conference kicks off in Sydney this week for five jam packed days of networking, panels, workshops and showcases all which aim to connect and inspire electronic artists. Catch senior music lawyer Rob Glass this Wednesday 13 Nov at 5pm on the ‘The Economics of Artist Management’ panel presented by Association of Artist Managers – AAM Australia, White Sky and EMC for a discussion on the remuneration of managers and the artist/manager agreement.
To grab a conference pass and see the full program head to >
https://www.electronicmusicconference.com/program-2019/
#EMC2019 #TheNextNow #electronicmusicconference #electronicmusicelectronicmusicconference.com
Our managing partner, Stephen King, will be in Auckland next Wednesday 13 November for a free forum discussion on protecting your rights in the music business. The session is for Independent Music New Zealand members only! There are only a few places remaining so if you have questions about legal issues in the music industry, register now at > https://tinyurl.com/MALxINMZeventbrite.co.nz
Earlier today, triple j announced this year’s J Award nominees for Australian Album of the Year and we were reminded yet again of what a huge year it has been for our clients and Australian music generally. We are honoured to work with such talented, hard working artists and send our congratulations to the following clients who have been nominated for Triple J’s Australian Album of the Year 2019 (in alphabetical order):
G Flip, About Us
Hatchie, Keepsake
Hayden James, Between Us
Hilltop Hoods, The Great Expanse
Matt Corby, Rainbow Valley
Northlane, Alien
Stella Donnelly, Beware Of The Dogs
Thelma Plum, Better In Blak
For the full list of nominees > https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/heres-your-triple-j-award-nominees-for-2019/11665098abc.net.au
WAMCon 2019, presented by WAM, kicks off next week in what is sure to be a massive weekend of learning, networking and celebrating the West Australian music industry. The 2019 conference schedule is packed with panels, presentations and one-on-one networking opportunities with a strong focus on diversity and sustainability in the industry. Our very own defamation litigation specialist, Amanda Mason, is moderating the ‘#Defamation_Situation’ panel on Friday 1 Nov from 11.30am – 12.30pm. The panel will take a deep dive into defamation controversies and what you need to know about the implications of defamation.
Full the full program > http://wamfest.com.au/wamcon/wamfest.com.au
Congrats are in order for our clients Timmy Trumpet, Alison Wonderland and Will Sparks who placed in the 2019 DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs. Top 100 DJs is the definitive annual guide to the world’s most popular DJs with over a million votes cast globally each year. At twenty spots higher than last year, Timmy Trumpet placed 13th overall, making this his highest placement yet. Alison Wonderland placed 44th overall and took out the ‘Highest Climber Award’ after jumping a massive 52 places from 2018. Melbourne bounce electronic producer Will Sparks placed 57th overall. Congratulations Timmy, Alison and Will!
https://djmag.com/news/dimitri-vegas-mike-win-dj-mag-top-100-djs-2019djmag.com
Calling all Independent Music New Zealand members! Our managing partner, Stephen King, will be in Auckland on Wednesday 13 November for a members-only forum discussion on protecting your rights in the music business. The session is free, but places are limited!
If you have questions about legal issues in the music industry, register here > https://tinyurl.com/MALxINMZeventbrite.co.nz
The ARIA season is upon us, and it’s time to celebrate another knock-out year of Australian music. Congratulations to all our clients who received nominations in the following categories, listed in no particular order
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Hilltop Hoods – The Great Expanse (Hilltop Hoods/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Solace (Rose Avenue Records/Sony Music Australia)
The Teskey Brothers– Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records)
Thelma Plum – Better In Blak (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
BEST MALE ARTIST
Hayden James – Between Us (Future Classic)
Matt Corby– Rainbow Valley (Matt Corby/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
Amy Shark – Mess Her Up (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Julia Jacklin – Crushing (Liberation Records)
Thelma Plum – Better In Blak (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
BEST DANCE RELEASE
Dom Dolla– ‘Take It (Sweat It’ Out/Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd
Peking Duk & Jack River– ‘Sugar’ (Sony Music Australia)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – ‘Solace’ (Rose Avenue Records/Sony Music Australia)
BEST GROUP
Hilltop Hoods – The Great Expanse (Hilltop Hoods/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Solace (Rose Avenue Records/Sony Music Australia)
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records)
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
G Flip – About Us (Future Classic)
Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs (Stella Music/MGM)
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records)
Thelma Plum – Better In Blak (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
BEST POP RELEASE
Amy Shark – ‘Mess Her Up’ (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Thelma Plum – ‘Better In Blak’ (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
BEST HIP HOP RELEASE
Hilltop Hoods – The Great Expanse (Hilltop Hoods/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Tkay Maidza – ‘Awake feat. JPEGMAFIA’ (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
BEST SOUL/RNB RELEASE
Kaiit– ‘Miss Shiney’ (Alt. Music Group/Ditto Music)
Matt Corby – Rainbow Valley (Matt Corby/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
BEST INDEPENDENT RELEASE
Angie McMahon – Salt (Independent/AWAL)
G Flip – About Us (Future Classic)
Julia Jacklin – Crushing (Liberation Records)
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records)
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Amyl and The Sniffers – Amyl and The Sniffers (Flightless Records)
HOLY HOLY – My Own Pool Of Light (Wonderlick Recording Company)
BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Julia Jacklin – Crushing (Liberation Records)
The Paper Kites – On The Corner Where You Live (Wonderlick Recording Company)
BEST HARD ROCK/ HEAVY METAL ALBUM
Dead Letter Circus– Dead Letter Circus (BMG)
DZ Deathrays– Positive Rising: Part 1 (I OH YOU)
BEST BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM
John Butler Trio – HOME (Jarrah Records/MGM)
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records)
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
BEST VIDEO PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE MUSIC
Briggs – ‘Life Is Incredible feat. Greg Holden’ (Adam Briggs/Island Records Australia)
G Flip – ‘Drink Too Much’ (Future Classic)
Hilltop Hoods – ‘Exit Sign feat. Illy & Ecca Vandal’ (Hilltop Hoods/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Thelma Plum – ‘Better In Blak’ (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
BEST AUSTRALIAN LIVE ACT
Amy Shark – Amy Shark Australian Tour (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Gang of Youths – Say Yes To Life Tour (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Hilltop Hoods – The Great Expanse World Tour (Hilltop Hoods/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Peking Duk – Peking Duk’s Biggest Tour Ever… So Far (Sony Music Australia)
The Teskey Brothers – The Teskey Brothers – Intimate Venue Tour (Ivy League Records)
SONG OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE MUSIC
Hilltop Hoods – ‘Leave Me Lonely’ (Hilltop Hoods/Universal Music Australia)
See you on 27 November!
Bang the drums for our clients Dann Hume and Sam Teskey who took our awards at the 2019 ARIA Artisan & Fine Arts Awards this morning. Dann won Producer of the Year for his work with Matt Corby on Rainbow Valley and Sam was crowned Engineer of the Year for his work on Run Home Slow by the The Teskey Brothers. Congratulations Dann and Sam!
https://themusicnetwork.com/2019-arias-artisan-fine-arts/themusicnetwork.com
GCAP Conference returns to Melbourne this week as part of Melbourne International Games Week. The community-based conference focuses on up-skilling the Australian game development industry through facilitating talks, panels and discussions with industry heavy weights. Catch senior lawyer Yasmin Naghavi at 11am on Wednesday 9 October for ‘Games + Music; Your Perfect Soundtrack’ for a discussion on the importance of music in video games and how to navigate licensing and publishing.
For the full GCAP program > https://www.gcap.com.au/
Creative Victoria GCAP – Game Connect Asia Pacific
Composers, sound art innovators and industry pros in games and music came together over the weekend for High Score 2019: Composition and Sound Art for Gaming: SOLD OUT. The two-day sold out event was packed out with expert talks, workshops and networking with some of Australia’s best in gaming music. On Saturday, our very own Yasmin Naghavi sat on the ‘AMA Quiz the Experts’ panel and discussed all things gaming business with other industry pros including Alex Aniel (Brave World Productions), David Nash (Native Tongue), Kirsty Stead (Winterman and Goldstein) and Aarti Desai (Creative Vic).
Below are Yasmin’s top five take-aways from the day!
1. Be authentic;
2. Get your works out into the world (either by yourself or the team you build around you);
3. Understand which rights to keep and which ones are okay to give away;
4. Meet lots of people and build relationships (you never know where an opportunity may arise);
5. Create, create, create!
Congratulations are in order for our client Aldous Harding who last night took out the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award for her stunning single ‘The Barrell’. The Silver Scroll Award is New Zealand’s most prestigious songwriting award, recognising outstanding achievement in the craft of songwriting. Aldous Harding joins a star studded hall of fame which includes our client and last years’ winner, Marlon Williams. Congratulations to Aldous Harding and her team on this incredible accomplishment!
For the full story > https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12272644
APRA AMCOS Associated London Managementnzherald.co.nz
ARIA Fine Arts & Artisan Awards: The nominees for the 2019 ARIA Fine Arts & Artisans Awards were announced yesterday and we are really thrilled to see so many of our clients on the list.
In alphabetical order, congratulations to the following clients on your nomination >
Ben Jones (for client Amyl and the Sniffers)
Burke Reid
Burkhard Dallwitz
Jonathan Zawada (for client Flume)
Dann Hume
Gang of Youths
Kevin Parker
Konstantin Kersting
Sam Teskey
Trials
For the full list of nominees > https://themusicnetwork.com/2019-fine-arts-artisan-awards-nominees/themusicnetwork.com
The world’s largest celebration of online video and digital creators kicks off in Melbourne today for four massive days of industry learning and networking. The conference hosts the very best global and local video industry heavyweights, creators and social media talent and our senior lawyer, Yasmin Naghavi, is amongst those presenting.
Catch Yasmin on Saturday 21st at 3.15pm for a 101 on how to navigate Management Agreements.
For the full schedule > https://vidconaustralia.com/full-agenda/vidconaustralia.com
