Gene Simmons from KISS is heading to the US Senate Judiciary Committee to push for the American Music Fairness Act, which would make AM and FM radio stations actually pay performers when they play their songs. Right now, streaming services and satellite radio compensate artists, but traditional radio has been skating by without paying them, thanks to what people call the radio loophole. Michael Huppe from SoundExchange is testifying alongside him, and the hearing is the first one the Senate has done on this topic since 2009.
The US is apparently the only democratic country where artists don't get paid for radio airplay. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Representative Darrell Issa brought the bill back this year, and it has backing from over 300 artists who are pretty tired of not getting compensated. Radio corporations pulled in $13.6 billion from ads last year, so the money is definitely there.
The US is apparently the only democratic country where artists don't get paid for radio airplay. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Representative Darrell Issa brought the bill back this year, and it has backing from over 300 artists who are pretty tired of not getting compensated. Radio corporations pulled in $13.6 billion from ads last year, so the money is definitely there.
