Like clockwork immediately before every iHeartMedia quarterly earnings call begins, musicFIRST Coalition Chairman Joe Crowley issues a statement criticizing iHeart in his ongoing attempt to get radio to pay artists to air their music. Here’s what Crowley had to say this quarter…
“Today, iHeart spent yet another earnings call crowing about its profits to Wall Street. And yet, even as we speak, the company’s lobbying machine is descending upon the Capitol in a desperate attempt to convince lawmakers that the radio giant can’t afford to pay artists for the use of their music on AM/FM radio.
Beyond the blatant hypocrisy of these conflicting actions, it’s downright unjust that iHeart and other broadcasting behemoths have never paid a single penny to the music artists who make their entire business model possible. In every other democratic nation in the world, artists are paid when their songs get played on AM/FM radio. Digital and streaming platforms already compensate artists here at home as well. Despite these facts, Big Radio continues to oppose the American Music Fairness Act — a bipartisan piece of legislation supported by music creators, community broadcasters and the American public — that will ensure artists are compensated for the use of their work and protect small radio stations by providing them with the predictability and affordability they need to survive and thrive.
It’s time to hold greedy broadcasters like iHeart accountable, just as we would any other industry. Passing the American Music Fairness Act will level the playing field and do right by both the artists who make the soundtrack to our lives and the small broadcasters who serve our communities.”
“iHeart and other broadcasting behemoths have never paid a single penny to the music artists”
This is absolutely false. What Joe Crowley ignores is that the company he slams pays millions of dollars to SoundExchange for streaming royalties as required by law. iHeart also pays artists for their performances at iHeart festivals. One thing that isn’t publicized is that over ten years ago, iHeart offered to pay artists a voluntary royalty if they would just register for payment. Several US-based record labels took the company up on its offer, and those artists and labels have been receiving voluntary royalties. However, the foreign owned labels want congress to grant them a right. Joe Crowley is attacking clients of SoundExchange. The millions they already receive is simply not good enough.