Hit songwriter-producer Ricky Reed, Lizzo, Shawn Mendes, Megan Trainor, Finneas and dozens of other artists, songwriters, producers, publishers and more have signed an op-ed penned by Reed (pictured above) begging members of the music community to stay home and out of studios, clubs, writing sessions and places they usually congregate.
“To all musicians, songwriters, producers, artists, those working in music business, my friends, my family,” the op-ed reads in part. “On behalf of myself, my co-authors Ross Golan and Justin Tranter, and a list of co-signees including artists Lizzo, Shawn Mendes, Finneas, as well the heads of every major publishing company and numerous label executives (full list below), please listen when we say:
“It’s time to stop.
“It’s the hardest thing for us to do. Most of us had to fight (and are still fighting) tooth and nail for every inch of our careers. When I moved to LA, I had to bike and bus to all my sessions. This is the only business that rewards us for staying out late, partying, throwing caution to the wind. We have grown accustomed to endangering our bodies running down a dream.
“But it’s time to stop. We might be in good health, young, unbothered. But this virus is not sparing our parents and grandparents. It is not sparing our immunocompromised brothers and sisters. It is not sparing kids with asthma. And an overwhelmed health care system won’t have space for anyone sick for any reason (that includes YOU!) if we don’t act now. The sooner we take bold action (extreme social distancing) the sooner we can get back to our lives.”
The article concludes:
“Please, let’s band together by staying apart. Our family over on the live music side has already been forced to shut down. Let this also serve as a show of solidarity with them. We only have one chance to slow this thing down before it gets truly scary and the time is right now. Like, right now.
Be an introvert, save the world.
–Ricky Reed”
Read the full op-ed here, the full list of co-signees appears below:
Co-Signees:
Lizzo (artist)
Shawn Mendes (artist)
Finneas (artist / songwriter / producer)
Meghan Trainor (artist)
X Ambassadors (artist)
Bebe Rexha (artist)
Jason Derulo (artist)
Donnie Wahlberg (artist)
Jon Platt (CEO — Sony ATV)
Carianne Marshall, Guy Moot, Ryan Press, Shani Gonzalez (CEOs and Presidents of Warner Chappell)
Jody Gerson (CEO — Universal Music Publishing)
Ron Perry (CEO — Columbia Records)
Pete Ganbarg (President — Atlantic Records)
Tunji Balogun (Keep Cool / RCA)
Kenny MacPhearson (CEO — Big Deal Music)
Casey Robison (Co-President — Big Deal Music)
Jamie Cerreta (Co-President — Big Deal Music)
Laurent Hubert (CEO — Kobalt Music)
Jake Wisely (CEO — Concord)
Golnar Khosrowshahi (CEO — Reservoir)
Justin Kalifowitz (CEO — Downtown Publishing)
Mike Molinar (CEO — Big Machine)
Ralph Peer (CEO — Peer Music)
Katie Vinten (CEO — Facet Records & Black Diamond MGMT)
Evan Taubenfeld (Head of A&R — Crush Music)
Larry Wade (Decible Entertainment & Nice Life Recording Company)
Nice Life Recording Company
Bradley Haering (GM — Nice Life Recording Company)
Jon Tanners (Blood Company / Keep Cool)
Daddy Kev (CEO — Alpha Pup Records)
The SONA Board
Michelle Lewis (SONA founder)
KAY Hanley (SONA founder)
Zara Larsson (artist)
Dropkick Murphys (artist)
The Go-Go’s (artist)
Veruca Salt (artist)
FIDLAR (artist)
Teddy Geiger (artist / producer)
Ryan Tedder (songwriter / producer)
J Kash (songwriter / producer)
Ilya (producer)
Savan Kotecha (songwriter / producer)
Ali Tamposi (songwriter)
Sarah Aarons (songwriter)
Amy Allen (songwriter)
Oak (producer)
Evan Bogart (songwriter)
The Monsters & Strangerz (songwriters / producers)
Alex Hope (songwriter / producer)
Nate “Danja” Hills (producer)
Joel Little (songwriter / producer)
Andrew Wells (producer / songwriter)
Joe London (songwriter / producer)
Terrace Martin (songwriter / producer)
Rick Knowles (songwriter)
Greg Wells (songwriter)
Caroline Ailin (songwriter)
Anne Preven (songwriter / producer / founder — Pulse Music Group)
Billy Steinberg (songwriter)
Nolan Lambroza (songwriter / producer)
David Hodges (songwriter / producer)
Captain Cuts (songwriters / producers)
Imad Royal (songwriter / producer)
Cara Salimando (songwriter)
Ian Kirkpatrick (songwriter / producer)
Simon Wilcox (songwriter / founder — Community Reboot)
Mozella (songwriter)
Charlie Handsome (songwriter / producer)
Ido Zmishlany (songwriter / producer)
Nick Ruth (songwriter / producer)
Billboard (songwriter / producer)
Jonas Jeberg (songwriter / producer)
David Pramik (songwriter / producer)
Lindy Robbins (songwriter)
Kara Dioguardi (songwriter)
Liz Rose (songwriter)
Darrell Brown (songwriter / producer)
Lauren Christy (songwriter / producer)
Claudia Brant (songwriter / producer)
Big Taste (songwriter / producer)
Carlos De La Garza (mixer / producer / engineer)
David Hodges (songwriter / producer)
Chloe Angelides (songwriter / producer)
Nate Mercereau (songwriter / producer)
Cook Classics (songwriter / producer)
Liiv (songwriter / artist)
Tele (songwriter / producer)
Toby Gad (songwriter / producer)
Mike Wise (songwriter / producer)
Thomas Salter (songwriter / producer)
Ivan “Orthodox” Barias (songwriter / producer)
Electric (songwriters / producers)
Arkadi (producer)
Nick Monson (songwriter / producer)
Dances With White Girls (artist)
John-Robert (artist)
St. Panther (artist)
Eden XO (artist)
Kokayi (artist / producer)
Gabz Landman
Charlie Christie
Jaime Zeluck (Founder- Nonstop Management)
Beka Tischker (manager / founder wide eyed entertainment)
Wide Eyed Entertainment
Mega House Music Management
David Silberstein and Jeremy Levin (CEOs of Mega House)
Paul Adams (manager)
Lucas Keller (CEO Milk & Honey)
Chris Cajoleas (manager)
Alexis Ben-Meir Wolf (manager)
This Is Noise Management
Dan Petel (This Is Noise CEO)
Gonzo Lübel (Cosmica Artists)
Gil Gastelum (Cosmica Artists)
mija management
Seven20 Management
Resources:
https://covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com
https://www.change.org/p/donald-j-trump-federal-aid-package-for-events-industry
https://www.grammy.com/musicares/client-services/emergency-financial-assistance