Artists vs. Airplay: The American Music Fairness Act and Radio’s Role in 2026

I hit “submit” on the form supporting the American Music Fairness Act… but if I’m being honest, I’m still not 100% sure where I stand.

On paper, the American Music Fairness Act sounds like common sense. It would require AM/FM radio stations to pay performers when their songs are played—something that already happens on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. And when you hear that radio generates billions in advertising revenue, it’s hard not to think: yeah… artists should probably get a piece of that.

But the deeper I thought about it, the more complicated it got.

From the artist perspective—especially indie and legacy artists—this could be a really big deal. Legacy artists who aren’t touring anymore still get spins on the radio, yet they don’t earn anything from those plays as performers under the current system. Indie artists, too, can land radio play and gain exposure, but exposure doesn’t pay bills. Even a small royalty could turn that moment of airplay into something tangible. That’s where the emotional weight of this argument really hits: if music is generating revenue, shouldn’t the people who made it share in that?

At the same time, I can’t ignore the other side of it.

Streaming platforms already pay performers. So part of me keeps asking—are we now expecting radio to do the same thing, too? Is that fair, or is it changing the rules of a system that’s always worked differently? Radio has traditionally been seen as promotion. It’s helped break artists, build fanbases, and push songs into the mainstream. So where exactly is the line between promotion and profit in 2026?

Then there’s the money question.

Is there actually enough to go around if every performer gets paid for every spin? Supporters of the bill say yes, pointing out that fees would be limited for small stations and scaled so larger corporations carry more of the burden. Critics, though, worry about the strain—especially for smaller broadcasters trying to stay afloat. The truth probably sits somewhere in the middle, but it’s a real concern worth talking about.

What I keep coming back to is this:

Without artists, there is no radio.

But at the same time…

Without radio, a lot of artists wouldn’t have careers.

And that’s where this debate really lives—in that tension. It’s not as simple as “pay artists” versus “protect radio.” It’s about redefining a relationship that’s existed for decades and figuring out what fairness actually looks like in today’s music industry.

So yeah, I signed the form. I support artists getting paid. But I also think this is one of those issues where it’s okay to sit in the gray area for a minute and really think it through.

Because the answer isn’t as obvious as it first seems.

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