A new bipartisan bill introduced today in the House and Senate calls on radio stations to pay royalties to musicians. The Ask Musicians for Music Act, abbreviated to the AM-FM Act, was co-sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). If signed into law, the act would require all radio services “to pay fair market value” for any music broadcasted over the air.

Music industry groups such as the Recording Academy, the RIAA, the National Music Publishers Association, and SoundExchange all released statements in support of the AM-FM Act. “We applaud Chairman Nadler and Senator Blackburn for their leadership in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to ensure creators receive fair market value for their music on all platforms,” Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the RIAA said in a statement. “By requiring broadcasters to get permission from music creators to use their music in the same way broadcasters are entitled to give permission for the use of their signal—the AM/FM Act addresses inequities in law that should be fixed.”

The National Association of Broadcasters, however, released a statement in opposition to the bill. Gordon Smith, president and CEO of the NAB, wrote:

“NAB opposes the AM-FM Act, which could decimate the economics of America’s hometown radio stations that have launched the careers of countless musicians and exposed legacy artists to a new generation of listeners. We’re pleased that a bipartisan group of 201 House members and 25 U.S. Senators recognize this potential harm and have cosponsored the Local Radio Freedom Act, a resolution opposing any new performance fee on local radio. NAB’s door remains open to work with the record labels to find a holistic solution to this issue that reflects the enduring value to artists and labels of local radio to our hundreds of millions of terrestrial and digital listeners. Unfortunately, the record labels have shown little interest in having those discussions.”

“The United States is an outlier in the world for not requiring broadcast radio to pay artists when playing their music, while requiring satellite and internet radio to pay,” Nadler said. “This is unfair to both artists and music providers. I’m proud to sponsor the Ask Musician For Music Act of 2019 which would give artists and copyright owners the right to make a choice to allow AM/FM radio to use their work for free or to seek compensation for their work. The bill would also allow them to negotiate rates with broadcasters in exchange for permission for it to be aired. This is what music creators want and deserve.”

“When music creators share their wonderful gift with the world, we hear songs that inspire and unite us. We should encourage such thriving talent and ensure the music community is properly compensated for their work,” Blackburn said. “The AM-FM Act will reward singers, songwriters and musicians for their hard work when their music is played on the radio.”

When Taylor Swift first broke her political silence last year, she wrote an open letter endorsing Blackburn’s opponent in the Tennessee Senate race.

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