The ASCAP Expo will celebrate its tenth anniversary during 2015, gathering a litany of today's top songwriters and a selection of performers as well to entertain crowds at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles from April 30 through May 2, including appearances from Aloe Blacc, Andrew Bird and more (from Billboard).
This isn't a must attend for music festival fans (you can keep sleeping off that Coachella hangover from a few weeks before) but music industry wonks will have plenty to keep them engaged. The most exciting of which will be a panel discussing "current legislative issues" for songwriters, featuring ASCAP president Paul Williams, ASCAP CEO Beth Matthews, and Congressional Representatives Doug Collins (R-GA) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), both of whom are strong proponents of the Songwriter Equity Act. Also taking part in that conversation will be Blacc, a songwriter who knows a thing or two about the industry. Aside from having his music featured in successful commercial campaigns (such as "The Man" in Beats by Dre TV spots), Blacc also gathered attention during 2014 when he wrote an essay outlining just how little he made in royalties as a songwriter when his and Avicii's "Wake Me Up!" became the most-streamed song in Spotify history.
As we mentioned, quite a few successful songwriters will be in attendance for various panels and discussions, including Savan Kotecha, Greg Kurstin, Jesse Shatkin, Darrel Brown and The Internz.
The Writers Jam will be the most popular performance of the weekend, as Blacc will team up with fellow attendees such as Bird and Ashley Gorley for a "jam." Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon and Lou Gramm of Foreigner will also appear alongside Hanson later during the weekend as part of the "I Create Music" Center Stage performance. There will also be a number of showcases for talent yet unsigned.
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