Tom Gray
Proposed for appointment by: Iain Archer, David Arnold, Fiona Bevan, V V Brown, Guy Garvey, Howard Goodall, Jake Gosling, Crispin Hunt, Dru Masters, Katie Tunstall
Biography
Tom is a renowned campaigner, a Mercury Prize-winning musician and, has recently been elected Chair of The Ivors Academy for the second time. His campaigning has led a global conversation around rights and equity in music.
A deeply committed advocate for creativity and music-making, Tom has built a strong reputation amongst the music community and the one based in Westminster. He founded the #BrokenRecord campaign and brought about a parliamentary inquiry into the music industry. A Bill followed, a CMA study and thousands of musicians had their historic label debt cancelled. Now a Government-led process is investigating interventions on which Tom sits. He is leading live campaigns around composer buy-outs, songwriter pay and coercive practices.
Sitting on the PRS Members’ Council, Tom has had oversight of many aspects of global music licensing for some years. For the first time, Tom was recently elected to the board of PRS For Music by his fellow writers on the Members’ Council.
A founding member of Gomez, he has made music for television, film and theatre and is presently working on a stage musical. Alongside his Mercury Prize, NME Awards and Brit nominations of yesteryear, Tom was recently presented with the 'Unsung Hero' award by the Music Producers Guild of the United Kingdom.
Current and recent directorships: Gris Gris Limited, Mez Music Limited, Mez Touring Limited, Performing Right Society Limited, PRS for Music Limited, and The Ivors Academy
Members’ Council attendance since last appointment: 10 out of 12 meetings.
Manifesto
There are many challenges facing those in our profession. Poor streaming income and the insecurity that brings, coercive contracts, fewer commissions, reduced funding, rising costs, the threat of AI... the list goes on. In my work in advocacy regarding all these concerns, I've been pushing rights-holders, production companies, commissioners, funders, institutions and government to do better. Our craft is a profession and those who work in it need protections. Whatever room I'm in, everyone knows my stated position and the stance I will adopt: songwriters and composers deserve better. Stakeholders must be held to account and where we can improve outcomes, I am always pressing forward.
However, PRS is approaching challenges of its own. Challenges with AI; changes to global licensing; member retention; a world moving at speed from linear to online; licensees who still do not provide useful data and prevent us building the kind of model that allows you to understand where all your money is coming from. We need to be strong; we need to be enterprising and dare to push back. We need to innovate with energy and conviction. As Chair of The Ivors Academy, I have overseen changes to governance and management as well as restructuring with a highly commercial strategy. Though I’m better known for my advocacy, I bring a strong strategic, lateral and creative mindset into the boardroom.
PRS is doing excellent work. There are always problems and unavoidable difficulties, but, on balance, the offering to writers is significantly better than ever, but we can be much better still.
Vote for me to work hard for you (and to make sure everyone else does too).
IMPORTANT: Publication of this statement, or any subsequent communication of it, does not constitute endorsement or the promotion of the candidate by the Society, or any member of its management or staff.
The statement has been written by the candidate and has not been altered in any way. The views and/or opinions expressed are the candidate’s own.
