Boyz II Men Deliver Letter Signed By More Than 300 Major Recording Artists to Capitol Hill Lawmakers Asking for Passage of American Music Fairness Act

Aerosmith, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, Jelly Roll, Lil Jon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mariah Carey, Miranda Lambert, Ozzy Osbourne, P!nk, Reba, Stevie Nicks, and more leading effort to close 100-year loophole, finally require big radio companies to pay artists for their music

Today's meetings fall on 14th Annual World Radio Day, which commemorates importance of radio in fostering change around the globe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Boyz II Men – the 19-time Platinum-selling, 4-time Grammy Award-winning R&B group that first rose to prominence with their chart-topping 1992 single End of the Road – will visit Capitol Hill today for meetings with top lawmakers on the American Music Fairness Act (S.326/H.R.861), bipartisan legislation that will require big radio companies to pay artists for playing their music on the air while protecting small, local radio broadcasters. The group is meeting with lawmakers on World Radio Day, which the United Nations General Assembly first recognized in 2012 to celebrate in providing fact-based information and raising listeners' voices in communities across the world.

Artists of all different eras, genres, and styles have signed on to a letter that Boyz II Men is sharing today with lawmakers, including Aerosmith, Barbra Streisand, Becky G, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Carole King, Celine Dion, Darius Rucker, David Foster, Elvis Costello, Gene Simmons, George Strait, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, Jewel, Joan Jett, Josh Groban, Lil Jon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mariah Carey, Matchbox Twenty, Miranda Lambert, Ozzy Osbourne, P!nk, Reba, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, TLC, Train, Weezer and more.

"We're proud to be on Capitol Hill today meeting with lawmakers and asking them to pass the American Music Fairness Act," said Boyz II Men members Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, and Wanyá Morris. "This is an issue about right and wrong. Artists – including background vocalists and musicians – work hard to create music that brings joy to millions. It's outrageous that big radio companies are able to make billions of dollars each year in ads while denying royalties to the performers whose music attracts listeners in the first place. We hope that Congress will listen to the voices of artists and pass this bill."

During their time on Capitol Hill today, Boyz II Men is meeting with key lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA).

"Today, the community of music artists is speaking with one voice," added LeAnn Rimes. "Performers spend hours, days, weeks, months, and even years working on the songs that make up the soundtracks of our lives. They should be rewarded for that work by the radio corporations that play their songs on the air."

The American Music Fairness Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and in the U.S. House by U.S. Representatives Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Mark Green (R-TN), Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA). Country music icon Randy Travis, who suffered a stroke that has left him unable to perform, testified last June about how the American Music Fairness Act will make a difference in the lives of artists during a House Intellectual Property Subcommittee hearing.

"When I was starting out, radio offered free promotion for artists who were looking to make it," added Carly Simon. "That's no longer the case. In the digital age, fewer and fewer Americans are discovering new music on the radio. Instead, AM/FM is making billions of dollars each year in ad revenue without compensating the artists whose songs they play. This needs to end. I'm proud that so many artists are speaking out today in favor of the American Music Fairness Act."

The American Music Fairness Act offers a balanced solution that ensures music creators are paid for their work when it's played on AM/FM radio while also protecting small, local broadcasters.  Under the bill, nearly two-thirds of radio stations would pay $500 or less for unlimited music a year.  The bipartisan legislation enjoys support from a diverse coalition of artists, broadcasters, labels, and music lovers:

• Broadcasters, such as the Alliance for Community Media, Common Frequency, Media Alliance, the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB), Prometheus Radio Project, and REC Networks – which represent a broad coalition of community broadcasters – also support the American Music Fairness Act.
• The entire recorded music industry – artists, major labels, independent labels, unions and trade association.
• Every Democratic and Republican administration since President Carter has supported a performance right for sound recordings in the U.S.
• Americans support passing a law to give artists performance royalties for AM/FM radio plays by a 4:1 ratio.

The full text of the letter delivered to lawmakers today is embedded below.

_________________________

February 13, 2025

Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, Leader Thune, and Leader Schumer:

Music creators work incredibly hard to make the sound recordings we all know, love, and value.  However, the U.S. continues to be the only democratic nation in the world where artists like us are not paid when our music is played on AM/FM radio. Thankfully, there is legislation to right this injustice that has robbed us from being paid on terrestrial radio for decades. We urge you to join us in the fight to compensate music creators by supporting and passing the American Music Fairness Act.

The American Music Fairness Act would require U.S. broadcasters to finally pay for our music when it's played on AM/FM radio. This bipartisan bill merely asks radio broadcasters to play by the same rules as digital platforms, streaming services, and others who already pay artists when they play our music. While the bill requires corporate radio giants to pay artists their fair share, it protects truly small broadcasters by allowing them to play unlimited music for $1.37 a day. 

For decades now, corporate broadcasters have unjustly exploited an antiquated loophole in the law to profit from advertising generated from unlimited use of free music. Each year, AM/FM radio stations play nearly a billion songs. And each year, giant radio corporations rake in billions in advertising dollars while refusing to pay a single cent to the artists behind the music that attracts their advertisers in the first place and makes their entire business model possible.

This inequity not only harms American artists at home, but it also hurts us abroad. Most foreign countries withhold payments to us when our songs are played in their countries, simply because the U.S. doesn't have a performance royalty. This leaves the U.S. in the dubious company of North Korea, Cuba, and Iran as among the only nations that refuse to pay artists for their work. This amounts to nearly $300 million every year in lost income for American artists like us. By supporting the American Music Fairness Act, you can ensure that this money flows back to the United States.

We're not alone in our call for fairness. Every president since Jimmy Carter has advocated for artists to be paid for AM/FM radio plays. And an overwhelming majority of Americans stand with us on this issue. A recent national poll commissioned by the musicFirst Coalition — the voice for fairness and equity for music creators — found that 73% of Americans believe it's unfair that artists don't get paid when their songs are played on the radio. And by a 6-1 margin Americans support Congress addressing this injustice by passing legislation such as the American Music Fairness Act.  

It's time for our nation to align with the rest of the developed world and ensure that hard-working music artists are paid fairly.

We appreciate your support and consideration of this much-needed legislation. We look forward to working with you and your staff to ensure that American artists are finally paid for their work. 

Sincerely,
38 Special
ABBA
Add-2
Aerosmith
Aimee Mann
Alabama
Alanis Morissette
All-4-One
Allison Russell
Aloe Blacc
Amy Grant
Ann Wilson (Heart)
Armani White
Autumn Rowe
Bacilos
Barbra Streisand
Barrie
Barry Gibb (Bee Gees)
Barry Manilow
Becky G
Beeb Birtles (Little River Band)
Bel Biv DeVoe
Belinda Carlisle (The Go-Go's)
Ben Fuller
Big Time Rush
Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
Billy Idol
Billy Porter
Billy Ray Cyrus
Black Stone Cherry
Black Thought
Blake Morgan
Blessing Offor
Blondie
Bob Gaudio (The Four Seasons)
Bobby Z (Prince & The Revolution)
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Tyler
Bootsy Collins
Boyz II Men
Brad Whitford (Aerosmith)
Bre Kennedy
Bryan Adams
Cade Thompson
Carla Redding (Otis Redding Estate)
Carly Simon
Carole King
Carter Faith
Cassadee Pope
Casting Crowns
Celine Dion
Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's)
Chris Isaak
Chris LeDoux Estate
Chromeo
Clint Black
Colin Hay
Common
Cowboy Junkies
Crystal Waters
Cyndi Lauper
Darius Rucker
Darrell Brown
Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC)
Dave Koz
Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum)
David Byrne
David Foster
David Kushner
David Leonard
David Pack (Ambrosia)
De La Soul
Deana Carter
Debbie Gibson
Deborah Cox
Dee Snider (Twisted Sister)
Def Leppard
Deon Cole
Diamond Rio
Dionne Warwick
DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Spinderella
Don McLean
Dropkick Murphys
Duane Allen (Oak Ridge Boys)
Duke Fakir Estate (The Four Tops)
Duran Duran
Eddie Money Estate
Eddie Montgomery (Montgomery Gentry)
Edwin McCain
Elsten Torres
Elvis Costello
Emiliano Torres (Xperimento)
Eric Johnson
Eric Roberson
Ethan Tasch
Exile
Fitz & The Tantrums
Fonseca
Foreigner
Frank Sinatra Estate
Frankie Valli
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin Rossdale (Bush)
GAYLE
Gene Simmons (KISS)
Genevieve Goings
George Strait
Gina Schock (The Go-Go's)
Gloria Estefan
Graham Nash
Greensky Bluegrass
Guy Clark
Halestorm
Hanson
Harry Belafonte Estate
Henry Weck (Brownsville Station)
Hootie & The Blowfish
Howard Jones
Huey Lewis
Hunter Hayes
If Not For Me
J. Ivy
Jackson Browne
Jake Scott
James Taylor
Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go's)
Jason Aldean
Jason Mraz
Jefferson Starship
Jelly Roll
Jerry Cantrell
Jesse Colin Young
Jewel
Jimmy Jam
Joan Jett
Joe Perry (Aerosmith)
Joe Satriani
Joe Sirois (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones)
Joey Kramer (Aerosmith)
John Denver Estate
JoJo
JoJo Siwa
Jon Secada
Jonatha Brooke
Josh Groban
Josh Turner
Josie Dunn
Julia Michaels
Julian Casablancas (The Strokes)
Julian Lennon
JVKE
Kate Hudson
Katharine McPhee
Kathy Valentine (The Go Go's)
Katy Nichole
KB
Kenny Loggins
Kenzie
Kevin Bacon (The Bacon Brothers)
Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon)
Kool & The Gang
KT Tunstall
Kylie Morgan
Lalah Hathaway
Lasso
LeAnn Rimes
Leanna Crawford
Lee Ann Womack
Lee Brice
Lee Greenwood
Lil Jon
Lin Manuel-Miranda
Lisa Loeb
Living Colour
Lord Finesse
Lorrie Morgan
Maggie Rose
Maiamouna "Mu Mu Fresh" Youseff
Marc Cohn
Margaret Cho
Marger
Mariah Carey
Marshmello
Martha Reeves
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Master P
Matchbox Twenty
Max Roach Estate
Max Weinberg (E Street Band)
MC Lyte
Mehro
Melissa Etheridge
Melle Mel
Menudo
Merck Mercuriadis (Hipgnosis Songs)
MercyMe
Michael Bacon (The Bacon Brothers)
Michael Franti
Michael Penn
Mick Fleetwood
Midland
Mike Love (The Beach Boys)
Miranda Lambert
Mýa
Nancy Wilson (Heart)
Neal Francis
Ned LeDoux
NeedToBreathe
Neil Sedaka
New Kids on the Block
Nile Rodgers
Noel Schajris
ODESZA
OK Go
OMAS
Ozzy Osbourne
P!nk
Papa Roach
Parker McCollum
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
Patty Loveless
Paul Stanley (KISS)
Paulina Rubio
Pentatonix
Peter Frampton
Phillip Phillips
Plain White T's
Questlove
R.E.M.
Rachel Platten
Raheem DeVaughn
Randy Jackson
Randy Rogers
Randy Travis
Reba
Rench (Gangstagrass)
René Moore (René & Angela)
Richard Marx
Rick Springfield
Rickey Minor
Ricky Skaggs
Rosanne Cash
Ryan Cabrera
Sadie Jean
Salt-N-Pepa
Sam Martinez
Sam Moore
Sammy Hagar
Sara Bareilles
Sara Evans
Sarah McLachlan
Saweetie
Scott Ian (Anthrax)
Scotty McCreery
Seal
Sheila E.
Sheryl Crow
Simple Plan
Skylar Astin
Smokey Robinson
Sofia Carson
Steve Earle
Steve Miller
Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil
Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
Stevie Nicks
Sugar Ray
Suzanne Vega
TALK
Tarrey Torrae
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Taylor Dayne
Terry Hunter
The Afters
The B-52's
The Go-Go's
The Heavy Heavy
The Lumineers
The Roots
They Might Be Giants
Tina Sinatra
TLC
Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith)
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)
Tori Amos
Tori Kelly
Trace Adkins
Train
Trip Lee
Twila Paris
Valentina D'Achille
Vanessa Carlton
Verdine White (Earth Wind & Fire)
Victoria Canal
Village People
Vince Gill
Walker Hayes
We Are Messengers
We the Kings
Weezer
Whodini
Wynonna Judd
X
Yellowcard
Yola
Yolanda Adams

_______________________

musicFIRST works to ensure music creators get fair pay for their work on all platforms and wherever and however it is played. We rally the people and organizations who make and love music to end the broken status quo that allows AM/FM to use any song ever recorded without paying its performers a dime. And to stand up for fair pay on digital radio — and whatever comes next.

SOURCE musicFIRST