60 Artists Join Effort to Tax Radio

8

On Tuesday musicFIRST announced that more than 60 artists, creators and activists have signed a letter urging Congress to pass the American Music Fairness Act, which would force radio stations to pay for the music it airs.

The letter’s signatories include: Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan, HANSON, Peter Frampton, Jackson Browne, Sammy Hagar, Pat Benatar, Sheila E, Dan Aykroyd, Deana Carter, Rick Springfield, Kevin Cronin (of REO Speedwagon), “Soul Man” Sam Moore, Indigo Girls, Chris Difford (of Squeeze), Ricky Minor, Jon Secada, and BeBe Winans.

The radio industry fights this new tax battle every year, and has to start over every time there’s a new set of elected lawmakers, which will be the case after the election this year. The radio industry believes airing music for free is a fair trade-off with artists because they are able to reach the biggest audience and they are more likely to become successful when their music is played on traditional radio. Current artists, with hits on the charts today, not from the 80’s, consistently thank radio at their live shows for playing their music. Very few, if any, current performers have signed onto the musicFIRST plan.

“This Music Fairness Awareness Month and beyond, we’re proud to stand with artists in their honorable fight to finally get the compensation they deserve for the use of their work on AM/FM radio,” said Congressman Joe Crowley, Chairman of the musicFIRST Coalition. “Big Radio corporations like iHeartRadio make billions of dollars in profit by filling their airwaves with music, and it’s only right that they should pay a fair share to the artists whose hard work makes their whole business possible. It’s just common sense. Artists support the American Music Fairness Act. The American public supports the American Music Fairness Act. And now, it’s time for Congress to make it law.”

The legislation was introduced in the House by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Darrell Issa (R-CA) in June 2021, and received companion legislation in the Senate last month from Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Alex Padilla (D-CA).

It calls for radio stations to have to pay artists directly and in addition to paying PRO’s for the music they air on their radio stations.

 

8 COMMENTS

  1. Most of these artists are no longer getting airplay, but they still tour. Who would go see them if their music was never on the radio?

  2. I love the quote about companies like IHeart making billions in profit. Both IHeart and Cumulus went through bankruptcy, hardly an indication of billions in profit. I noticed that the artists who signed the petition are all pretty much over the hill. Sure seems like sour grapes. If this passes, many stations will be flipped to sports or talk using mostly syndicated programming: not a great outcome for artists or listeners. Of course a year after it passes, nobody will remember how it happened and they’ll blame the big, bad radio companies.

  3. It’s inevitable. The free ride will eventually be over. Please spare me the ‘exposure’ argument. It’s like saying you shouldn’t pay for vitamins because they do good things for your body. Or car washes should be free because they make your car look nice. Nope – it’s being paid for your work. If radio objects, don’t play music.

    • Simpler answer. Let radio stations charge for the airtime. They will pay the artists they deem necessary for their audience and others like the list of 60 has beens will have to pay for the airtime. Right now under payola it’s illegal. Fair is fair. You wanna charge, then we should be able to as well.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here