Joshua Lastine of Lastine Law Shares His Tips for Artists as AI Affects the Music Industry

Entertainment attorney, Joshua Lastine of Lastine Law shares his insights into the music business with The Hype Magazine including how the innovation of AI could affect the business.

Tell us about how you got into your profession?

Right now, I am the CEO and partner of Lastine Entertainment Law, a boutique transactional entertainment law firm in Beverly Hills representing creative talent and studios. My passion for artistic expression and storytelling is really what has led me on the path I am on today. I’m from a small town in Iowa, but my dreams were always much bigger. I always had a deep love and passion for creative arts, music, filmmaking, etc. and while not wanting to be a creator myself, I knew I wanted to be a part of the creative process early on. In college, I majored in economics but minored in creative writing. That is a lot of what I do now—creative writing—as we write and draft contracts for creatives. In 2011 I came to Hollywood pursuing my passion for entertainment and storytelling. I attended Pepperdine Law School and started my career by landing a job in the music licensing for American Idol. I’ve always wanted to be part of the creative process early on, so I interned for Discovery Network, Lionsgate, and Marvel Studios. I had to build my credits, my credentials, but by putting in all my passions and efforts into the very thing I love, it gave me the space and opportunity to work on several high-profile TV and film projects. That’s why I founded my law firm, making the kid from Iowa’s big dreams come true.

What sets Lastine Law apart from other lawyers?

What sets us apart is our genuine passion for the craft. We’re not just lawyers; we’re genuinely passionate about storytelling, creative writing, the arts, and the furtherance of technology in media. We practice our interests, and our interests are our practice. We relish working with innovative, diverse, and scrappy artists. We thrive on bringing unique visions to life and helping talented individuals make their mark in the entertainment world. With our deep industry knowledge and personalized approach, we provide the guidance and expertise you need to navigate the intricacies of entertainment law and emerge victorious. We want to redefine what it means to be entertainment lawyers. We are working very hard to elevate our own firm’s brand so that we can create better opportunities for our clients. We aim to be both muse and Jedi for artists!

In what ways do you work with clients in the music industry?

We have a wide array of clients in the music industry. We work with musicians, producers, musical theater performers, and basically any artist in the industry. Lastine Law can handle everything on an artist’s plate from contracts for venues, reviewing merchandising agreements, both talent and manager representation agreements, music licensing, and copyright.

What are some of the biggest legal challenges artists face today?

While AI is innovating the world and moving at a rapid rate, artists face the threat of something called misappropriation of likeness. That’s attorney-speak for using some’s appearance, picture, or audio without their permission. Right now, there’s no federal regulation or rights that protect an artist’s personality from being created with artificial intelligence. So, this creates the biggest legal challenge for artists today, whose entire voice, sound, and image is their business. That’s why, in this global nature of the internet, it makes it challenging to monitor and enforce copyright laws against AI creations. But we’ll stand in to help artists with claims, infringement, and misappropriation.

You hear a lot about how musicians struggling to get the same royalties they once did and how their profits have been hurt by streaming services. What is your take on this?

Like how TV killed the radio star, the advent of streaming services significantly changed the landscape of the music industry, impacting the artists’ royalties and profits. For the consumer, the democratization of entertainment is great. Music is accessible and affordable. But when the marketplace is oversaturated with talent, this democratization “devalues’ the worth of artistic expression. Throw in the new developments with AI, and it becomes increasingly harder to monetize your creativity. So, it’s essential for musicians to create a strong “brand presence” by instilling a plan to monetize your creativity long term. This is accomplished by understanding streaming agreements, negotiating fair terms, and exploring alternative revenue streams to curb and mitigate the financial impact of streaming services on a musician’s earnings. I think there should be a writer’s guild for songwriters. I would love to see more artists advocating for legislative changes. Collective bargaining efforts can help address the broader systemic issues surrounding streaming royalties and ensure fair compensation for artists in the digital age (maybe a writer’s guild for songwriters?).

What advice do you have for up-and-coming musicians to protect their work and put themselves in the best position for success in their music careers?

Protect your work by copyrighting your work. You can educate yourself on copyright law, you can form a business entity to establish ownership. But a sure-fire way to safeguard your creativity, preserve your voice, and position your career for success? Consult with a lawyer to draft clear and enforceable contracts that protects your interests, royalties, and creative control when entering into agreements with industry professionals. And that’s what Lastine Entertainment does best: help artists secure their creative legacy.

Where can our readers reach you?

Follow @lastinelaw on socials and visit https://lastineentertainmentlaw.com.