Ross Golan launches petition to cease music licensing in Russia amidst ongoing war

Hit songwriter and popular podcaster Ross Golan has started an online petition to urge the music community to stop licensing songs in Russia for as long as the country continues to wage war on Ukraine, reports Variety. Golan, who has written hit songs for the likes of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, is best known for his podcast And The Writer Is, which since being launched in 2017 has expanded to cover topics in music business and copyright law while boasting a roster of star guests such as Julia Michaels, Benny Blanco, and Peter Frampton. 

The petition, launched on Change.org, is created under the podcast’s name.The petition urges collection agencies to sever ties with their counterparts in Russia, as Golan notes that for songwriters licensing music in Russia, “a portion of our royalties are going directly to the Russian government, which in turn funds their invasion into Ukraine.”

Since Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the country’s military invasion of neighbouring country Ukraine, many in the music industry have chosen to cut ties with Russia or to cease any activity in the country that may contribute to funding the war. Acts such as Green Day and Björk cancelled planned concerts, while Spotify have shut their Russian offices down indefinitely. Netflix has also shut down all its services in the country.

Read and sign Golan’s And The Writer Is petition here.