Washington, DC, November 1, 2023 – In honor of the start of Music Fairness Awareness Month, an annual effort by music creators throughout the month of November to bring attention to a decades-long injustice that denies artists fair pay for their work on AM/FM radio in the United States, Senator Mark Pryor, Co-Chairman of the musicFIRST Coalition, issued the following statement:
“The idea that music artists should be paid for their hard work, just like everyone else, is far from a novel concept. But as we kick-off Music Fairness Awareness Month today, the United States continues to stand alone as the only nation in the free world where performers are not paid when their music is played on AM/FM radio. As Big Radio remains steadfast in its refusal to pay music artists for the songs that fill their airwaves and drive their entire business model, it’s critical that Congress take action to address this wrongdoing. By passing the American Music Fairness Act, our legislators can ensure that the hardworking artists who make the music we know and love receive the basic pay they’re due for the use of their sound recordings. We encourage anyone who makes, listens to, or enjoys music to join us in voicing their support for fair pay for AM/FM radio plays this Music Fairness Awareness Month.”
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About musicFIRST
musicFIRST works to ensure music creators get fair pay for their work on all platforms and wherever and however it is played. We rally the people and organizations who make and love music to end the broken status quo that allows AM/FM to use any song ever recorded without paying its performers a dime. And to stand up for fair pay on digital radio — and whatever comes next.
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