David Israelite is the President & CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association.
He joined the organisation in 2005.
David Israelite: career so far
David Israelite’s background is largely in politics. He previously worked as Director of Political and Governmental Affairs for the Republican National Committee, joining the Department of Justice as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Attorney General in 2001.
In 2004, Israelite was appointed Chairman of the US Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property.
Israelite joined the NMPA as President & CEO in 2005, leading on campaigns including the passing of the landmark Music Modernization Act in 2018 and 2017’s Copyright Royalty Board trial.
In 2020, ahead of a workshop on competition in music public performance licensing in front of the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, Israelite wrote in an open letter: “Today’s songwriters face an incredibly challenging industry. For an artist, a hit song can turn into a tour, an endorsement deal and countless opportunities. But for those who are strictly working songwriters, their revenue streams are much more limited and increasingly reliant on how they are paid by streaming services.
“The people behind the music are paid so much less than they deserve not because their contributions are losing value, but rather because of how the antiquated rules of how the federal government decides that value, instead of the marketplace.”
Songwriters want to keep creating. They want streaming to grow and to benefit from that growth. Allowing them to do so requires a change that is simple, narrow, and fair.
David Israelite in 2020
Music Business Worldwide