Back to all bills
HR 861119th CongressIntroduced
American Music Fairness Act of 2025
Introduced: Oct 29, 2025
Civil Rights & JusticeEconomy & TaxesTechnology & Innovation
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
The American Music Fairness Act of 2025 amends U.S. copyright law to require terrestrial radio broadcasters to pay royalties for sound recording performances, establishes statutory licensing with special low rates for small stations, and mandates royalty distribution to artists while explicitly protecting songwriters' existing rights and revenue streams.
Key Points
- 1Terrestrial radio stations must now pay performance royalties for sound recordings, ending a historical exemption that previously only applied to digital transmissions like satellite and internet radio.
- 2Small broadcasters receive capped annual royalty fees ranging from $10 to $500 based on station revenue and ownership structure to prevent financial hardship for local and public stations.
- 3Fifty percent of royalties from direct licensing agreements must be distributed to artists and copyright owners through a designated collective organization, ensuring fair compensation for performers.
Impact Areas
Terrestrial radio broadcasters especially small and public stationsRecording artists and sound recording copyright ownersMusic industry stakeholders including labels and publishersCopyright Royalty Judges responsible for rate setting
Generated by legislative-analyst-v1 on Nov 3, 2025