It’s time to close the radio loophole and deliver fair pay for America’s musicians

President Donald Trump has long positioned himself as a defender of American workers.

Since first running for president in 2016, he has leveraged his business experience to put America first. He expressed support for all citizens who feel overlooked by powerful special interest groups in Washington; This includes America’s musical artists.

During his first term, President Trump signed the Music Modernization Act, a law that updates copyright protections for the digital age and makes it possible for artists to get paid fairly when listeners stream their songs. This legislation has made a real difference in the lives of working music artists who have been exploited for far too long.

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For every well-known artist whose name you recognize, there are thousands of working artists (background singers, band members, and studio musicians) who help bring recordings to life. They depend on music performance revenues/royalties earned through licenses, radio, streaming or other music distribution platforms to support their families. This is the payment they are rightfully entitled to receive for the use of the “product” they “produce” in America: music. After all: Paying someone to use their property or intellectual property is fundamental to our American values.

But if you’re a recording artist, these values ​​are challenged every day. Despite President Trump’s progress with the Music Modernization Act, today the world’s richest tech companies are taking our music without permission or compensation to develop their own artificial intelligence products. Giant radio companies broadcast our music for free, earning billions of advertising dollars each year without charging artists anything for using their work. The situation gets worse; Because the US does not pay artists for AM/FM radio plays, other countries do not pay American artists for AM/FM radio plays abroad. It is estimated that an estimated $300 million currently earned by American artists is held abroad. American workers aren’t paid because U.S. laws haven’t caught up with the rest of the world.

The good news is that President Trump can quickly address these pressing challenges and level the playing field for all American artists, including session musicians, background vocalists, and band members who continue to contribute their incredible talents to our Great American Songs.

A meaningful step: Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the American Music Fairness Act, a bill that would require major radio companies to fairly pay artists who play their songs on AM/FM radio, unlocking money held abroad, while also protecting small and independent publishers.

The American Music Fairness Act is a good bill. It will help working artists cover food costs, save for retirement, and provide for their families. Most musicians are in this category. Over the years I have met many artists who struggle every day to support their families while pursuing their musical dreams.

In February, a few weeks after President Trump was sworn in for a second term, I joined more than 300 musical artists in asking Congress to send the American Music Fairness Act to the President’s desk.

Some of my good friends and supporters of this effort, including Jason Aldean, Billy Ray Cyrus, Village People, Lee Greenwood, and Trace Adkins, signed the same letter because we believe Americans deserve to be paid for the work they do, no matter what line of work they do.

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But since then, Congress has done little to move this bill. The House Judiciary Committee needs to give this bill an increase to get it one step closer to the Oval Office. President Trump could side with American workers and tell Congress to act under the American Music Fairness Act.

While fair compensation in AM/FM broadcasting is a crucial step forward, it is only one part of a much bigger picture for working musicians. Long-serving artists continue to navigate outdated foreign copyright rules that limit their ability to regain control of their own recordings. Many older artists struggle with basic access to affordable healthcare. And now, with the rise of AI-generated sounds and knockoff tracks, creators are facing a new wave of unauthorized uses of their art. These topics do not compete with each other; They reflect the shared reality of the people who devoted their lives to making American culture what it is. Addressing all of these will take time, but updating outdated radio law is a concrete place to start.

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Every American who works hard deserves to be rewarded for that work with fair pay. It’s time to close the radio gap that has affected musical artists for far too long.

Let’s pass the American Music Fairness Act and ensure American artists are treated fairly.