Fairness for Radio Stations and Artists

Official: American Music Fairness Act of 2025

IntroducedJanuary 31, 2025

Why This Matters

This bill aims to ensure that radio stations fairly compensate artists when they play their music, making the rules for traditional and online radio more equal. It also provides support for smaller stations to help them manage these costs.

If you are a musician, you could earn money when your songs are played on the radio.

Affects: Musicians, artists, and small radio station owners will be directly affected by this bill.

Summary

American Music Fairness Act of 2025This bill establishes that the copyright holder of a sound recording shall have the exclusive right to perform the sound recording through an audio transmission. (Currently, the public performance right only covers performances through a digital audio transmission in certain instances, which means that nonsubscription terrestrial radio stations generally do not have to get a license to publicly perform a copyright-protected sound recording.) Under the bill, a nonsubscription broadcast transmission must have a license to publicly perform such sound recordings. The Copyright Royalty Board must periodically determine the royalty rates for such a license. When determining the rates, the board must base its decision on certain information presented by the parties, including the radio stations' effect on other streams of revenue related to the sound recordings. Terrestrial broadcast stations (and the owners of such stations) that fall below certain revenue thresholds may pay certain flat fees, instead of the board-established rate, for a license to publicly perform copyright-protected sound recordings.

What changes is this bill making?

1. This bill requires radio stations to pay artists for playing their music. 2. It treats traditional radio broadcasts the same as internet music services. 3. Small radio stations receive special protections to help them afford these payments. 4. The bill ensures that songwriters are not negatively impacted by these changes. 5. It recognizes the promotional value of radio play for artists.