In 1929, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) railed against the growing trend of recorded music in movie theaters instead of live musicians - a trend kicked off by ‘The Jazz Singer’ in 1927.
The AFM mounted an amusing and costly advertising blitz—costing $9 million in 2025 dollars - with the goal of shifting public sentiments about the use of ‘canned music’ in movie theatres.
The adverts were emblazoned with titles like “Banish Music?” and “Is Art to Have a Tyrant?” and depicted a looming “Robot at the Helm” imperilling classical ensembles, “Making Musical Mince Meat!” all in the name of a soulless “Profit Without Honor.”
It was an early example of conflict borne of automation changing the relationship between businesses and creatives. One we see repeated today in new conflicts between unions and Hollywood - but with one key difference: local Hollywood union members were anything but outraged…
