AFM Indie

From the Future of Music Coalition, an issue at the forefront of  many U.S. musicians’ concerns:

Health care is now a matter of serious debate across the country. FMC has advocated for reform, and we’re still very much committed to arming musicians with information so they can make smart choices.

But we also want to know if anything has changed since our initial report. Which is why we’ve relaunched the survey to learn

• How many musicians are insured?
• Has the number increased or decreased over the last eight years?
• What are the factors that make it difficult for musicians to get insured?
• Do musicians know about the plans offered by some unions and professional organizations?

Taking the Pulse runs from March 1 through April 1, 2010, and assesses the level of health insurance among working musicians. questions about artists’ access to coverage and their understanding of the current health insurance landscape.

Take the survey today!

by Dee Dee Acquisto, Senior Director, Health & Human Services, MusiCares

In the wake of the recent deaths of Michael Jackson and DJ AM, it is starkly apparent that substance abuse and dependence remain life-threatening hazards in the music industry.

One would think, after years of public consciousness and industry awareness, including televised interventions, celebrity overdoses, and countless education efforts, that we would see a decrease in substance-related problems and deaths and that the industry would be better informed and vigilant. However, in the 20 years that MusiCares (The Recording Academy’s charitable foundation) has been serving the industry, we have witnessed firsthand the many aspects of the music industry that both facilitate substance abuse and act as impediments to recovery.

What are those aspects and how can they be overcome? This article discusses challenges faced by musicians considering recovery and reviews the resources and supportive strategies available to them or those who are trying to help them.

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