Radios May Soon Have To Pay Artists For Playing Their Music

[RAMROD 107,425]

 

More than 300 recording artists, including some of the biggest names in the music industry, are pressing lawmakers to pass a bill that would require terrestrial radio stations to pay them for the rights to play their songs.

In a letter to congressional leaders obtained by NBC News, music stars like Aerosmith, Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, Jelly Roll, Lil Jon, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mariah Carey argue they are missing out on potentially billions of dollars of royalties they feel they are entitled to.

“For decades now, corporate broadcasters have unjustly exploited an antiquated loophole in the law to profit from advertising generated from unlimited use of free music,” the letter reads. “Each year, AM/FM radio stations play nearly a billion songs. And each year, giant radio corporations rake in billions in advertising dollars while refusing to pay a single cent to the artists behind the music.”

The letter calls for swift passage of the American Music Fairness Act, which would create a revenue stream for performers.

Most terrestrial stations subscribe to licensing entities called performing rights organizations that then pay royalties to music publishers and songwriters. Those royalties are not paid to performers, though some performers are also songwriters.

Organizations that represent radio stations have countered that both broadcasters and musicians have mutually benefited from the exposure provided by radio air play. They argue that the royalties they pay through the licensing agreements are already very costly and that imposing yet another cost could seriously hurt the already struggling radio industry.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna191958
 

interview video link 

https://www.today.com/video/artists-rally-to-change-way-radio-stations-pay-to-play-popular-music-232359493586

[RAMROD 107,425]

Probably important cos this will change how radios will play songs and doing promotions for artists.

And if this pass, it will starts from USA, but I can see it will spreads like wildfire globally 

[bionic 48,180]

I assumed it was already the case lol

Would be interesting to see how this affects the charts

[Teletubby 143,607]

will they start playing Rita Ora?

[Red 97,480]

One second radios receive payola, suddenly who receives the payola is me!

[andy232000 10,811]

I mean they definitely are using the artists work to put on a show and people tune in because of that. Artist deserve their pay for the input. If the bill passes, it will greatly affect how radios play music and subsequently the landscape of the business. Imagine Payola not working anymore, or having radio deals drastically change (although that would be great, I’m sick of record lable having to pay millions to get radios to play songs and then drop them after a week). The billboard formulas would also probably change too, maybe finally making airplay not so heavy.

[JustTea 5,273]

What... So radios didn't even pay royalties, yet radio affects Billboard Hot 100 like crazy!? 

So radio hosts can choose what to play and promo and ignore others to decrease their chart points. How is that even fair...  

[River 112,082]

they barely want to play the songs for free lol

[Teletubby 143,607]

13 minutes ago, JustTea said:

What... So radios didn't even pay royalties, yet radio affects Billboard Hot 100 like crazy!? 

So radio hosts can choose what to play and promo and ignore others to decrease their chart points. How is that even fair...  

all radio stations pay to performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, GMR, SESAC...) songwriters get royalties, performers who are not credited as songwriters don't receive money. 

Edited February 20 by Teletubby

[SpadesToStart 3,293]

The dynamics have changed, so the money flow should change too. Radio used to be the biggest way people discovered new music, and that’s not the case anymore. 
 

[Ladle Ghoulash 19,449]

44 minutes ago, RAMROD said:

terrestrial radio stations

But what about extraterrestrial radio stations? Aliens get to bump that **** for free? 

[Robo Ga 15,264]

If this happens it will be the nail in the coffin for radio stations because the industry is BROKE. 

I used to work in the industry for +7 years as a broadcaster - they are operating on razor-thin margins as it is. 

The artists should direct this energy to the streaming giants who actually have $$$ to pay.

[moonsago 7,285]

22 minutes ago, Teletubby said:

all radio stations pay to performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, GMR, SESAC...) songwriters get royalties, performers who are not credited as songwriters don't receive money. 

I was surprised when I found this out. Apparently having a hit on the radio can pay songwriters better than hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify. I forgot his name, but that famous songwriter that is in Semi Precious Weapons who has a bunch of hit songs said having a radio hit can set you for life. And he has a TONE. 

[StarstruckIllusion 52,262]

Good riddance if this ends the industry. It’s 2025, not 1985 - We literally don’t need radio ****ing up the billboard charts anymore lmao

[TEETHTEETH 1,615]

They already play the same 5 songs over and over. I don’t think anything will change