American Music Fairness Act Re-Introduced In House, Senate

It's Back

The American Music Fairness Act, which failed to pass in CONGRESS last year, is back for another round, re-introduced in the HOUSE by Rep. JERRY NADLER (D-NY) and DARRELL ISSA (R-CA) and in the SENATE by Sens. ALEX PADILLA (D-CA) and MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN), this time adding Sens. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA) and THOM TILLIS (R-NC) and Reps. TOM MCCLINTOCK (R-CA) and TED LIEU (D-CA) as co-sponsors. NADLER joined as co-sponsor in place of Rep. TED DEUTCH (D-FL), who retired from the HOUSE last year.

The bill would impose a performance royalty on AM and FM broadcasters, and has been endorsed in the past by the RECORDING ACADEMY, musicFIRST, the RIAA, SAG-AFTRA, A2IM, and the AFL-CIO.

musicFIRST Chairman JOE CROWLEY said, “It’s clear that the movement for music fairness continues to gain momentum, bringing us closer than ever before to ending Big Radio’s ability to deny artists the fair pay they deserve. This week’s HOUSE and SENATE introductions of the American Music Fairness Act is evidence of that. We thank Senators PADILLA and BLACKBURN and Representatives ISSA and NADLER for their leadership in the effort to secure economic justice for our nation’s music artists and creators, and look forward to working together to drive continued progress in the coming months.

“This important legislation couldn’t be introduced on a more appropriate day," CROWLEY continued. "Artists have been living through GROUNDHOG'S (sic) DAY for decades now. The years might change, but one thing always seems to stay the same: Big Radio refusing to pay them for their hard work. We believe we can finally break that vicious cycle in 2023, and we’re going to do everything in our power to pass the American Music Fairness Act and ensure that music creators don’t have to live through this injustice for yet another year."

RECORDING ACADEMY CEO HARVEY MASON JR. said, “As we prepare to focus our attention on celebrating music this weekend at the GRAMMY AWARDS, the RECORDING ACADEMY also renews its commitment to ensuring music creators are always compensated fairly for their work. We applaud Reps. ISSA, NADLER, MCCLINTOCK, and LIEU and Senators PADILLA, BLACKBURN, FEINSTEIN, and TILLIS for reintroducing the American Music Fairness Act, and look forward to working with them to build on the historic progress we made last year on this important legislation.”

“Music creators have been forced to give away their work for far too long. It is time for CONGRESS to demonstrate that they stand behind the hard-working Americans that provide the music we all love by finally passing the American Music Fairness Act,” said SOUNDEXCHANGE Pres./CEO MICHAEL HUPPE. “This bill has the broad support of artists, labels, small broadcasters, unions, and others because it strikes a fair balance by respecting creators for their work and protecting truly local broadcasters. No more excuses, no more waiting in line for their turn. Music creators demand the economic justice AMFA provides.”

NAB Pres./CEO CURTIS LEGEYT said, "Local radio stations and performers have built a strong, mutually beneficial partnership that has endured for over a century. This partnership provides enormous value for new and established performers, local broadcast stations and the tens of millions of radio listeners that rely on our uniquely free service. Unfortunately, AMFA would destroy that relationship with a new government-imposed performance fee that is simply untenable for local radio. We urge the record labels to join us at the negotiating table to discuss a win-win solution to this issue that would benefit both performers and local broadcasters. But this one-sided legislation is not the answer."

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