A bill to amend title 17, United States Code, to provide fair treatment of radio stations and artists for the use of sound recordings, and for other purposes.

American Music Fairness Act

This 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.

Bill 119 s 326, also known as the "Fair Play Fair Pay Act," aims to amend title 17 of the United States Code in order to ensure fair treatment of radio stations and artists when it comes to the use of sound recordings. The bill seeks to address the current disparity in compensation between artists and radio stations by requiring radio stations to pay royalties to artists and record labels for the use of their music.

The Fair Play Fair Pay Act also includes provisions to ensure that all artists, including those who are not signed to major record labels, receive fair compensation for their work. Additionally, the bill aims to modernize the current copyright laws to better reflect the digital age and the ways in which music is consumed and distributed.

Overall, the Fair Play Fair Pay Act seeks to create a more equitable system for artists and record labels when it comes to the use of their music by radio stations. The bill has garnered support from musicians, record labels, and industry organizations who believe that it is time for the current system to be updated to better reflect the realities of the music industry in the 21st century.