When he isn't co-writing hits for the likes of ARIANA GRANDE, SELENA GOMEZ, NICKI MINAJ and KEITH URBAN or producing his songwriting podcast, ROSS GOLAN is patiently working on his résumé as a labor leader for pop songwriters. He was instrumental in mobilizing the songwriting community in 2018 in support of the MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT, and now he's laid out a platform worthy of an outsider candidate for a songwriting senate. On his list, presented at a town hall for songwriters and publishers in LA and later published in BILLBOARD: record company advances for the composers of any new song on an album; health insurance to be provided by performance rights organizations; and, from publishers, access to affordable errors and omissions insurance to protect against plagiarism claims. All of which could tangibly change songwriters' lives. And all of which would amount to a fundamental change in music industry economics. Who, besides the entire industry, could say no to that? Is there an actual business case to be made for a wish list like that? Is there a reason for record companies, publishers and PROs to show up at the negotiating table? What leverage do songwriters have? What resolve do they have? Who would stand with them? Is there an appetite for a songwriters new deal? Is disruption in the air, or are we just having a friendly conversation?... WOODSTOCK 50 is free to proceed this August after a split ruling in a court fight between festival promoters and their original financial backers. Having persuaded a judge, the promoters now face the perhaps trickier task of persuading music fans. "Challenges remain for event," as the POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL dryly put it... BTS meet the BEATLES... GIMME RADIO, which launched two years ago as a really good all-metal radio station inside an app, now wants to give you some twang, too. GIMME COUNTRY, a separate app, went live Wednesday. Like its metal sister, GC aims to counterprogram traditional radio and streaming services by playing overlooked and underplayed artists and, pointedly in this case, women. And not just playing them; the station's DJs include LEE ANN WOMACK and BRANDY CLARK. Somewhat frighteningly, the station's DJs also include me. Full disclosure. And apologies in advance. The counterprogramming of both apps isn't just about what music is played. It's also about the idea of having on-air hosts who select the music and talk about it, an old-fashioned attempt at human connection in a world where the idea of being connected often means the opposite of that. Not "real music" (yawn; also, I disagree) so much as real DJs (minus the records and turntables, but still)... Wait, an orchestra that wants you to bring your phone to its concerts? And that wants you to keep that phone on? Yes and yes. The orchestra is the Manchester-based BBC PHILHARMONIC and the reason is an app called NOTES that will offer real-time liner notes to pieces as the orchestra plays them. Innovative and fantastic. Make art accessible. And if you don't want to partake, you don't have to... A little further north, the FLY OPEN AIR dance music festival, which takes place this weekend in Scotland, is banning phones altogether at its BOILER ROOM DJ stage, which will be headlined by a secret guest. Which is also OK, if you ask me. Being at a phone-free show is like being in an office when the white noise suddenly shuts off. Eerily peaceful... In Wednesday's rantnrave, I mistakenly called BLANCO BROWN "Benny Blanco." They are, obviously, two different people, and only one of them is currently trying to break Nashville as far as I know. My apologies to them and to you... RIP CHUCK BARKSDALE.