Well, this was unexpected…
Senator Orrin Hatch (R, UT) is at the Grammys:
Senator Orrin Hatch, writer of laws but also songs, enjoying Childish Gambino, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and more at the 60th annual Grammy Awards. #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/rEv9zGQdBJ
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 29, 2018
Hatch, who is a songwriter himself, followed up with a tweet to #StandWithSongwriters who he thinks have a tough time getting paid in the internet age:
More on Senator Hatch the songwriter, and his efforts to help other songwriters. #GRAMMYs #StandWithSongwriters
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 29, 2018
This is a big thing for the retiring Utah Republican:
A good time to read up on what @senorrinhatch @SenAlexander and a bipartisan group are doing to overhaul songwriter royalty payments https://t.co/RlbZx6pOrj https://t.co/XpqvVrfc7Z
— Niels Lesniewski (@nielslesniewski) January 29, 2018
He’s even sponsoring legislation to make sure songwriters are paid “fairly for their work.” From Variety:
The Music Modernization Act updates music licensing laws to make it easier for songwriters to get paid when their music is streamed or purchased online. Songwriters have been seeking legislative changes for years, pointing out that they have not been receiving fair market value for their works on digital platforms like Spotify and Pandora.
“Our music licensing laws are convoluted, out-of-date, and don’t reward songwriters fairly for their work,” said Hatch, who is a songwriter himself. “They’ve also failed to keep up with recent, rapid changes in how Americans purchase and listen to music.”
And then — maybe to prove how easy it is to listen to a songwriter’s work without paying for it? — he tweeted a clip of of the awards show:
Let’s hope talented musicians like Lady Gaga don’t just “walk away” as a result of outdated music licensing laws that hurt songwriters. #GRAMMYs #StandWithSongwriters pic.twitter.com/t5G10Bv4Rm
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 29, 2018
And as for Hatch’s attendance at the event, the reaction from the blue-check mob was what you’d expect:
The Republican senator who recently called Trump one of the best presidents “maybe ever" may not be a big hit in this crowd. https://t.co/EWxKkIXD5r
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 29, 2018
Goodnight, everyone. https://t.co/0WICaRqjhC
— Raising Awareness for The Brandi (@ItsTheBrandi) January 29, 2018
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 29, 2018
Get it, Sen Hatch. https://t.co/MErM9sQBQu
— Christina Ginn (@NBChristinaGinn) January 29, 2018
https://twitter.com/AdamWeinstein/status/957805467450925056
Move over Blue Ivy, Orrin Hatch is at the #Grammys https://t.co/vaLR90MWOg
— Lesley Abravanel? (@lesleyabravanel) January 29, 2018
***
Related:
Britt McHenry accuses Kendrick Lamar of disrespecting the military in #Grammys performance https://t.co/Dbax4qgB3v
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 29, 2018
CBS FAIL IN PROGRESS: #Grammys fans are PISSED CBS is showing golf instead of the red carpet https://t.co/7YOoJKJlZF
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 29, 2018
HOT MESS: Joy Villa wore ANOTHER political statement to the #Grammys https://t.co/LbNX5tyX3t
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 28, 2018
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