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NARM will present the RIAA with its Presidential Award for Sustained Industry Achievement during the Music Biz 2012 Opening Session on Wednesday, May 9, at L.A.’s Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

"The RIAA is celebrating 60 years of tireless advocacy on behalf of the music industry, and its work is ever more important in this fast-moving digital era," said NARM President Jim Donio. "New products and services are forever altering the way we all discover, experience and purchase music, while significant new entrants to the marketplace are literally changing the game with their innovative strategies. It is certainly an exciting time that just underscores the RIAA's valuable role and its unparalleled efforts to ensure respect for creators and copyright holders throughout the country."

Added RIAA Chairman/CEO Cary Sherman: "We are honored to receive NARM's prestigious Presidential Award. As we celebrate our 60th anniversary as an organization, we look back on music's extraordinary evolution. From vinyl and cassette tapes to downloads and access models, it's been a hell of a ride. I've often joked that the music community is like a dysfunctional family—we fight from time to time, but in the end we all recognize that we need each other. And when we stand together, we are a powerful voice for all music creators. It has been a privilege to serve this great community. We thank Jim and our friends at NARM for this award, and we look forward to 60 more years of service."

NARM’s list of Presidential Award honorees reads like a who’s-who of music industry greats, including Hastings President/CEO John Marmaduke, UMGD CEO Jim Urie, Trans World Chairman/CEO Robert Higgins, Sony Music Chief Creative Officer Clive Davis, Musicland Chairman/CEO/President Jack Eugster, Navarre Corp. founder/Executive Chairman Eric Paulson, Soul Train host Don Cornelius, Tower Records founder Russ Solomon, Sony Music Distribution Chairman Paul Smith, UMVD Chairman Henry Droz, Ahmet & Nesuhi Ertegun, and Dick Clark, as well as The Recording Academy and the Country Music Association, among others.

The RIAA was formed in 1952 to support and promote the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members include the top record labels and distributors in the U.S., accounting for approximately 85% of all recorded music produced and sold here. Since its inception, the RIAA has carried out a variety of diverse tasks, from ensuring that vinyl records conformed to the same recording standard to participating in collective rights management. In 1958, the organization began its Gold & Platinum certification program, which continues to be the high standard for recognizing extraordinary musical achievement through its Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, and Diamond awards. It also introduced the Parental Advisory Logo in 1985 to help inform consumers about their music choices, which it continues to administer today.

The organization works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conducts consumer, industry, and technical research; and monitors and reviews state and federal laws, regulations, and policies. It has won major anti-piracy victories over peer-to-peer applications Napster, Grokster and LimeWire.

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