Impact NextGen: Tom Clees

Are there a lot of lobbyists plodding the halls of the U.S. Capitol and its environs who would describe themselves as “metalheads”? How many namedrop Phoenix, Arizona, death metal stalwarts Gatecreeper? How many urge people to listen to Playboy Manbaby’s new EP Debbie from Zumba?

K Street, to put it mildly, is not exactly the first place anyone would look for advice on new bands.

But, then there’s Tom Clees, the Recording Industry Association of
America’s senior vice president, federal public policy.

“I’ve spent my career working in law and politics as the music freak and metalhead in the office. Now I get to combine all my obsessions into my work and I couldn’t be happier to do what I do for this industry and community,” he says.

This year, that’s meant working for meaningful regulation of AI as it relates to music and artists and fighting against malignant deepfakes.

“The music industry has supported the development of artificial intelligence as a creative tool for a long time, and over the past year I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to the discussion about how Congress should set ground rules to ensure we are protected against deepfakes and bad actors in this space. I’m proud to be on the team of creators and stakeholders supporting the NO FAKES Act, the NO AI FRAUD Act, and other legislation that will empower every individual to own their own face and voice in the age of AI,” Clees says.

Clees is excited about what technology might wrought for live music — using VR and similar tech to “attend” a concert on the other side of the world is a thrilling prospect. But as you might expect from a metal and punk loving guy, he also loves what hasn’t changed and doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.

“Young people are still making aggressive music that demands to be heard in new variations of punk, metal, and hardcore. They still know how to form a pit, and I just hope I can keep up,” he says.

And those in the pit might become the next big change agents.

“I believe my fellow millennials are well-suited to ride out disruption and stay calm when plans change. Many of us had to be self-starters when the economy soured or industries adjusted and it has given us the ability to be realistic in our views about the future. I’m confident this will make us resilient as we start to take more leadership roles,” he says.