The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) is a United States statute enacted in 1925. It governs the enforcement of arbitration agreements in contracts involving commerce, including maritime transactions. The FAA makes written arbitration agreements valid, irrevocable, and enforceable, effectively compelling parties who have agreed to arbitrate to resolve their disputes outside of court. While not specific to the music industry, it significantly impacts contractual agreements within it, such as those between artists, record labels, and publishers, by dictating how disputes are resolved.