A Nearly 100-Year-Old Exception

In most countries around the world, this issue was resolved long ago. When recorded music is played on radio, performers are compensated. This is standard practice across Europe, Asia, Africa, and much of the rest of the globe.

The United States is one of the very few exceptions.

The consequences are almost unbelievable.

Elvis Presley. Frank Sinatra. Bing Crosby. Some of the most played voices in modern history. Every time their songs were broadcast on American radio—millions upon millions of times—the artists received exactly zero dollars.

“Everyone gets paid,” Simmons explains, “except the artist. That injustice has lasted for generations.”

How Did This Happen?

The roots of the problem go back to the early days of radio. In the beginning, musicians often performed live in radio studios. They showed up, played their music in real time, and were paid for their work.

But as technology advanced and recorded music replaced live performances, the law failed to evolve. Legislators never updated the system to ensure that performers would be compensated when their recorded performances were broadcast.

A legal loophole was born—and it remained untouched for decades.

Meanwhile, the radio industry grew into a massive commercial machine. Advertising revenue soared, national networks formed, and powerful brands were built on the voices, songs, and identities of artists. Yet the performers themselves were excluded from the revenue stream.

$14 Billion—Without the Artists

According to Simmons, the U.S. radio industry generated nearly $14 billion in revenue last year alone. A significant portion of that income is driven directly by music—by songs listeners love, recognize, and return to again and again.

“Would it really be unreasonable,” Simmons asks, “for artists to receive a share of that?”

He is careful not to attack radio as a medium. Historically, radio and artists have depended on one another. Radio needs music, and artists once relied heavily on airplay to reach audiences.

But the industry has changed.

Streaming platforms, social media, live performances, and direct fan relationships have reshaped the music ecosystem. Radio is no longer the sole gateway to success—yet it continues to profit from creative work produced by others, without compensating the performers.

A Generational Issue – and the Future of Music

The American Music Fairness Act is not about settling scores for legendary artists of the past. It is equally about protecting the future.

In an era when many musicians struggle to make a sustainable living despite millions of streams and high visibility, every revenue source matters. Radio still plays a major role—especially in genres like country, rock, and mainstream pop—making the lack of performance royalties increasingly difficult to justify.

Simmons frames the issue as a matter of basic labor rights:

“What could be more American than working hard and getting paid for your work?”

Bipartisan Support—A Rare Case

Perhaps most striking is the fact that this issue cuts across political lines. According to Simmons, the American Music Fairness Act is not a left-versus-right debate.

He has spoken with both Republicans and Democrats, and his message is straightforward: this is not ideological. It is about fairness.

Many lawmakers, Simmons says, are simply unaware of how the system works. When they learn that some of America’s most celebrated artists never received payment for radio airplay, the reaction is often genuine shock.

When an Artist’s Identity Becomes Advertising

Another dimension of the issue involves the use of artists’ identities. Radio stations regularly promote themselves using artist names, voices, images, and logos to attract listeners—and, ultimately, advertisers.

In most other contexts, using someone’s name or likeness for commercial purposes would require permission and compensation. In radio, it is largely free.

“If someone used your face or your name to sell products without paying you,” Simmons asks, “would you accept that?”

A Global Paradox

Ironically, it is the United States—the country that gave the world rock ’n’ roll, jazz, hip-hop, country, and blues—that lags behind when it comes to protecting performers’ rights.

International artists are compensated in their home countries. American artists receive performance royalties when their music is played abroad. Yet when those same songs air on U.S. radio, the performers earn nothing.

To Simmons, this contradiction is not only unfair—it is embarrassing.

Not About Politics, but About Respect

The discussion briefly touches on politics and the presidency, but Simmons is clear: his focus is not partisan conflict. He respects the democratic system and the office of the presidency, regardless of who occupies it.

This fight is about principle.

Artists deserve to be paid for their work. Period.

The End of an Outdated Exception?

If the American Music Fairness Act passes, the United States would finally align itself with international standards—late, but not too late. For Elvis and Sinatra, the change comes too late. But for today’s musicians and future stars, it could mean the difference between survival and walking away from a career in music.

Gene Simmons has seen the music industry from every angle—as a performer, a businessman, and a survivor. When he says the system is broken, it is not rhetoric. It is experience speaking.

And sometimes, it takes a rock star walking the halls of Congress to remind lawmakers of something very simple—and very fundamental:

Work deserves to be paid.