Americans love to sing. The rise of karaoke’s popularity during our recent economic recession is a testament to its effectiveness at lifting our spirits and bringing us joy when we need it.

   Karaoke is one of our nation's fastest growing recreational activities among our citizens, yet the underlying industry that supports the activity has been suffering and declining since 1996 when the United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit ruled in the case of ABKCO MUSIC, INC. VS STELLAR RECORDS, INC. that the production of a karaoke song is equivalent to a that of a major motion picture.

   The result of this ruling now requires that the lyrics that display on a screen for the singers (the same lyrics that are sung in the song) timed to the music must have a sync license in addition to the lyric print license. This action immediately converted every karaoke producer in the USA who produced cover music from a Harry Fox license into an infringer. The acquisition of a sync license is no easy task for a small karaoke producer and even when licenses are procured in good faith, the law as it stands still leaves openings for litigation that can bankrupt any producer. 

   As this was happening so was a technology boom that allowed for the transfer of materials on compact disc to computer hard drive. That led to much file sharing piracy, further crippling all of those who work in the industry. This has even turned producers away from production and toward litigation against those who have transferred their tracks from disc to hard drive (media shifting) thus creating a hardship for those who provide karaoke shows for the singers.

   The United States of America is now almost void of karaoke producers while other countries like the United Kingdom are booming with producers because of their simpler laws, but our laws are not allowing them to import their wares to the USA. Karaoke enthusiasts in America are suffering from questionable legalities and an inability to acquire new music.

   While Copyright Law holds many exemptions for special purposes, there is nothing that addresses the unique nature of karaoke. Rather, the law is currently stifling the industry in America. We now have an entire generation of singers who have no legal means to access the music they most wish to sing. America is the world leader in popular music, yet it is everyone outside of this country that gets to sing that music in karaoke format.

   I ask that you look into this problem and find a way to streamline the licensing process for producers, and make a clear rule for transferring files from disc to computer (media shifting) for those who provide karaoke shows, and allow us to reach out to the rest of the world for music so that America will be singing for generations to come.