The Future of Music conference was held in Washington, D.C. earlier this week to serve as the first major "get together" between artists, labels, politicians, and other bigwigs in the world of music. Yet, the major labels may have dealt themselves a bad hand by failing to show.

CNET.com reports that, "With few exceptions, the major music labels took a pass on the event, as most industry representatives have on other technology-focused events, such as the annual MP3.com Summit."

Even though the major record labels were no shows, the conference wasn't a flop by any means. The event brought together people of many different professions and even started to open minds about digital music, one of those minds belongs to Utah Senator Orrin Hatch.

Orrin Hatch, who is a musician and songwriter himself, urged record labels and technology companies to agree on licensing issues that have kept most music from being widely distributed online. Not only that, but Orrin also believes that the ways of the old, may not continue to work. "I do not think it is any benefit for artists or fans to have all the new, wide distribution channels controlled by those who have controlled the old, narrower ones." said Hatch.

Although, Ted Cohen of EMI Records doesn't agree. "I don't think he [Hatch] understands all the issues. I think he needs to spend some more time sitting down with people from the industry and then make a studied decision on what needs to be done."

Whatever happens to the world of music in the future, one thing is certain. In the months ahead, law makers will be writing new rules that will impact the use of digital music forever.