the AMP— POSTED Issue 67

"In the past weeks, the community has suffered at least 24 lives lost, nearly 100,000 people under evacuation orders, 40,000 acres burned, and more than 12,000 structures— commercial and residential—  destroyed... numbers cannot articulate the magnitude of anguish as the disaster upends families and dismantles livelihoods.”
— Metallica

What's Been Posted In Your .comUnity Group this Week.

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Here's the list of posts in your New Music Lives™ Facebook .ComUnity this week.

• Blinding Lights Named song of the 21st Century from hitsongsdeconstructed .com. This unforgettable track combines a unique blend of common and unconventional elements— from its extended 28-second intro and “disappearing chorus” structure to its nostalgic, ’80s-inspired production reminiscent of a-ha’s "Take On Me.”

• BMI Congratulates its 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees from bmi .com— The new class of inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

• From Buzz to Bond: A Musician’s Guide to Thriving in 2025 from Cyber PR Music— Artist community building moves beyond transactional engagements to create meaningful shared experiences. It's Bond over Buzz.

• SHEROS... is one of my (John Fogg) book projects. It’s about “the Time Of the Woman.’ Keb' Mo' - Put a Woman in Charge feat. Rosanne Cash (Official Music Video) on YouTube. "My mother just recently passed at the age of 91. She was smart. She was strong. She was a leader. This video is dedicated to her and amazing women everywhere...”

LA Fires: How to Help Musicians in Need

The recent Los Angeles fires have devastated the music community, with thousands of musicians and industry professionals affected. Here are the primary ways you can help. Tapping the links will take you to their website.

Direct Aid Organizations

MusiCares Emergency Relief 
• Pledged $1 million to support affected music professionals
• Providing immediate assistance for displaced individuals
• Offering both short•term emergency aid and longer•term recovery support
• Accepting donations to expand their support efforts

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund 
• Dedicated fund for LA County music professionals
• Covers equipment loss, medical bills, and living expenses
• Direct financial assistance to affected musicians
• 100% of donations go to fire relief

The 100 Percenters Relief Fund
• Immediate grants up to $2,500 for housing and essentials
• Larger grants up to $10,000 for equipment replacement
• Mental health support grants up to $2,000
• Focused on professional songwriters, producers, and artists

Equipment Replacement & Studio Space

Guitar Center
• Offering instrument replacement assistance
• Supporting musicians who lost gear in the fires

Seahorse Sound Studios 
• Providing free storage for evacuated musicians' gear
• Downtown LA location

Good Boy Records 
• Offering free studio time in Studio City
• Supporting displaced musicians

Industry Support Initiatives

Sound Royalties Wildfire Relief Program
• No•cost royalty advances up to $50,000
• Available to qualified applicants in designated emergency zones
• No personal guarantees required
• Applications open through March 31, 2025

ASCAP Emergency Relief 
• $1 million distribution to affected songwriters and composers
• Eligibility: Members who lost homes/studios or were evacuated

Upcoming Benefit Events

FireAid Benefit Concert
• January 30th at Intuit Dome and Kia Forum
• Features major artists including Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Multiple broadcast channels
• All proceeds go to relief efforts

Mental Health Support

Backline
• Free mental health services for music industry professionals
• 24/7 support available via Disaster Distress Hotline: 1•800•985•5990
• Case management for long•term support

Music Health Alliance Mental Health Fund 
• Providing outpatient mental health resources
• Focused on qualified music industry professionals

Additional Resources:

• Entertainment Community Fund
• The Black Music Action Coalition Relief Fund
• Inevitable Foundation Emergency Relief Fund (for disabled creatives)
• NAMM Relief Fund

For immediate assistance or to make a donation, visit MusiCares.org or contact any of the listed organizations directly. Every contribution helps support our music community during this crucial time.

... and here's the more...

• If We Started Songwriting Careers Today - We'd do These 5 Things! from SongTown— In this week’s SongTown Songwriting Podcast episode, multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson share 5 things they'd do if they were starting Songwriting careers today. No matter how small (to have fun!) or big your goals are, writing better songs is the answer.

• Biggest Spotify Changes in 2025 That Will Affect You from Manifest on YouTube— Take The Spotify 5 Day Challenge. You're talented. You’ve got great music, but you've got no streams and no one has discovered you yet.

• 15 Songs That Showcase the Evolution of Country Music from americansongwriter .com— Country music is a genre that has been evolutionary since its onset. From oral tradition to mega stars, country has lived many lives.

• 2025 Grammys to Go On, But Will Raise Money for Wildfire Relief Efforts from tasteofcountry .com— This year's show is pressing on with new purpose.

• Connect Regularly With Your Artist Team from UpToEleven .com— As your business grows, it may be harder to do everything yourself, and that's a good problem to have! A skill you will need to develop over time is how to collaborate and manage others on your artist team.

Thanks for reading. Give us your feedback.

And PLEASE, if you've got any Singer Songwriter friends, pass the AMP on, because... It’s Time... for a Change. Big Time. Past Time...