American Music Fairness Act of 2025

House Bill

H.R. 861

119th Congress

American Music Fairness Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 31, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Darrell Issa

Representative

Republican

CA-48

Cosponsors

11

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Commerce

Summary

This bill requires terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties for playing sound recordings, which they currently do not. Copyright Royalty Board would set rates considering radio impact on other revenue streams. Small stations can pay flat fees instead of standard rates.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

SponsorDarrell Issa (R-CA)

Introduced1/31/2025

StatusReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

ChamberHouse

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

American Music Fairness Act of 2025

This bill requires terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties for playing sound recordings, which they currently do not. Copyright Royalty Board would set rates considering radio impact on other revenue streams. Small stations can pay flat fees instead of sta

Community Breakdown

Pass

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0 predictions

This bill requires terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties for playing sound recordings, which they currently do not. Copyright Royalty Board would set rates considering radio impact on other revenue streams. Small stations can pay flat fees instead of standard rates.

Bill Number: 861
Sponsor: Darrell Issa (R-CA)
Introduced: 1/31/2025
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Policy Area: Commerce

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: American Music Fairness Act of 2025
Bill Number: 861
Sponsor: Darrell Issa (R-CA)
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced: 1/31/2025
Summary: This bill requires terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties for playing sound recordings, which they currently do not. Copyright Royalty Board would set rates considering radio impact on other revenue streams. Small stations can pay flat fees instead of standard rates.

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill requires terrestrial radio stations to pay royalties for playing sound recordings, which they currently do not. Copyright Royalty Board would set rates considering radio impact on other revenue streams. Small stations can pay flat fees instead of standard rates.

Last updated: 1/5/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

American Music Fairness Act of 2025This bill establishes that the copyright holder of a sound recording shall have the exclusive right to perform the sound recording through an audio transmission. (Currently, the public performance right only covers performances through a digital audio transmission in certain instances, which means that nonsubscription terrestrial radio stations generally do not have to get a license to publicly perform a copyright-protected sound recording.)Under the bill, a nonsubscription broadcast transmission must have a license to publicly perform such sound recordings. The Copyright Royalty Board must periodically determine the royalty rates for such a license. When determining the rates, the board must base its decision on certain information presented by the parties, including the radio stations' effect on other streams of revenue related to the sound recordings.Terrestrial broadcast stations (and the owners of such stations) that fall below certain revenue thresholds may pay certain flat fees, instead of the board-established rate, for a license to publicly perform copyright-protected sound recordings.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Requires terrestrial radio to pay sound recording royalties
Extends public performance rights beyond digital transmissions
Copyright Royalty Board sets royalty rates
Small stations may pay flat fees instead
Considers radio impact on artist revenue streams

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

Artists and record labels would receive royalty payments when their music plays on AM and FM radio, which currently pays only songwriters. Radio stations would face new licensing costs.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Commerce

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

861, 119th Congress (2025). "American Music Fairness Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-861

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