Latest news with #AmericanMusicFairnessAct
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Boyz II Men Urge Congress to Make Radio Stations Pay Artists for Playing Their Music
Boyz II Men took to Capitol Hill this week, pushing for lawmakers to pass legislation that would finally allow recording artists to get paid for when their work gets played on the radio. The iconic group was at the Capitol on Feb. 13 — World Radio Day — pushing for Congress to pass the American Music Fairness Act, a bill that if enacted would require radio companies to pay artists for the use of their recordings on the radio. More from Rolling Stone Mike Johnson Scrapes Speakership Win After Republicans Change Votes House Passes Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown After Musk, Trump Meddling Dems Troll Trump by Calling Elon the Real President 'This is an issue about right and wrong. Artists — including background vocalists and musicians — work hard to create music that brings joy to millions,' the group said Thursday. '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.' Artists and industry advocates have been pushing for reform to get paid for radio play for decades. In the current system, only the songwriters get royalties from radio, not the artists who performed on a given track. The United States is one of the few countries where stations don't pay royalties to the artists. Randy Travis advocated for the AMFA before Congress last year, while Master P wrote an opinion piece for Rolling Stone and said that 'me and my fellow artists who made those songs have never gotten a single penny for our performances' on radio. While Boyz II Men took to the hill, they're far from the only musicians making the push to lawmakers. About 300 other artists including Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, Weezer, Carole King, Randy Travis, and Ozzy Osbourne signed a letter addressed to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. 'For decades now, corporate broadcasters have unjustly exploited an antiquated loophole in thelaw to profit from advertising generated from unlimited use of free music,' the letter said. 'Each year, AM/FM radio stations play nearly a billion songs. And each year, giant radio corporations rake in billionsin advertising dollars while refusing to pay a single cent to the artists behind the music thatattracts their advertisers in the first place and makes their entire business model possible.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
USA Today
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Boyz II Men to Capitol Hill: R&B group leads effort to improve pay for artists on the radio
Boyz II Men to Capitol Hill: R&B group leads effort to improve pay for artists on the radio Show Caption Hide Caption Chazz Palminteri shows up at 2025 Grammys Actor Chazz Palminteri showed up to the 2025 Grammys to support not just a friend but also the L.A. first responders who recently battled wildfires. Entertain This! WASHINGTON − Musicians are asking on bended knee for AM and FM radio stations to start paying for the rights to play their music. The celebrated '90s R&B group Boyz II Men were on Capitol Hill Thursday asking Congress to make it happen. The group, known for their slow jams and heartfelt ballads, met with lawmakers on Valentines Day eve to deliver a letter signed by more than 300 artists calling for swift passage of the American Music Fairness Act. The legislation would require that terrestrial stations not only pay royalties to music publishers and songwriters, as is currently required, but performers as well. Among the letters' signers are top music industry names like Céline Dion, James Taylor and Jelly Roll, according to NBC News, as well as Mariah Carey, who collaborated with Boyz II Men on the 1995 single "One Sweet Day." '90s stars to Masked Singer victors: Facts to know about Boyz II Men House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he "truly enjoyed hosting" Boyz II Men Thursday, posting a photo together with the now-trio. "Since the band's formation in 1985, these guys have sold over 60 million albums and created a large part of the soundtrack of our lives," Johnson said in his post. "Nathan Morris, Wanyá Morris and Shawn Stockman have still got it!" Morris, Morris (no relation) and Stockman are three of the four original members of the band, formed in the late 1980s by a group of high school friends in Philadelphia. Bass singer Michael McCary left the then-quartet in 2003 due to health issues. He was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Politico
14-02-2025
- Business
- Politico
IBM taps new chief lobbyist
Presented by With help from Daniel Lippman RAIMONDO AIDE TO LEAD IBM LOBBYING: IBM has hired Mike Harney to lead the computing giant's global government and regulatory affairs operation. Harney was most recently senior vice president of public affairs at the biometric security company Clear, but spent nearly two decades before that in the public sector. — Harney served as chief of staff to former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who played a key role in developing and implementing the Biden administration's semiconductor, artificial intelligence and trade policies. Harney is also a former chief of staff to Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a key player in AI issues on the Hill. — Harney joins the company at a crucial time for the tech industry, as global leaders work to formulate guardrails for AI companies. He succeeds Christina Montgomery, IBM's chief privacy and trust officer and AI ethics board chair, who had been serving as interim government affairs chief following Chris Padilla's retirement last summer after 15 years running IBM's D.C. office. FLYING IN: It's a new Congress, which means there's a new fight over whether broadcast radio stations should be required to pay artists royalties, and legendary R&B group Boyz II Men was on the Hill today to renew the music industry's push for the American Music Fairness Act. — The ensemble delivered a letter to congressional leadership signed by more 300 music legends — including ABBA, Barbra Streisand, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Aerosmith, Stevie Nicks and Weezer, as well as Lee Greenwood and Gavin DeGraw, who both performed during President Donald Trump's inaugural festivities — calling on lawmakers to pass the bill, which broadcasters have fiercely opposed. — Texas truckers were also in town this week for a fly-in with the American Trucking Associations. The truckers met with all 40 offices from Texas' congressional delegation as well as Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Pete Sessions to discuss energy and environmental issues, workforce development and lawsuit abuse, and called for infrastructure investments to address bottlenecks in the industry that hit Texas especially hard. Happy Thursday and welcome to PI. How are you lobbying on the new tariffs and budget resolution? Let me know: coprysko@ And be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. ICYMI — MORE K STREETERS ON PENN. AVE: Trump isn't done stocking his administration with members of the influence industry. On Wednesday, the president filed paperwork formally nominating Kathleen Sgamma, the longtime head of oil and gas trade group Western Energy Alliance, to lead the Bureau of Land Management, as well as former Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath and CGCN Group lobbyist Aaron Szabo to lead EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, our Pro Energy colleagues write. — A day earlier, Trump unveiled his appointees to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, an independent body within the Executive Office of the President that oversees the U.S. intelligence community's compliance with the Constitution, which is also drawing some members from downtown. — Among the new members are a handful of megadonors and fundraisers for the president — as is common — including Wayne Berman, who leads government affairs at investment giant Blackstone. — Also on the list were Trump's first chief of staff Reince Priebus, the board chair of the government affairs shop Michael Best Strategies, his final national security adviser Robert O'Brien, who runs the national security consulting firm American Global Strategies, and fellow Trump 1.0 alum Katie Miller, who worked for P2 Public Affairs before rejoining the second Trump administration. HOW WE GOT HERE: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in this afternoon as head of the nation's health agencies, closing the book on what turned out to be a relatively smooth confirmation process. Kennedy's installation portends a tremendous 'upheaval for America's $4 trillion health care industry,' but our Daniel Payne dug into why in spite of those huge stakes, the industry did 'little and [is] hoping for the best' from their newly empowered detractor. — 'From drugmakers to doctors' organizations, groups thought to have the clout to steer policy and funding in Washington because they enjoyed bipartisan support and huge lobbying budgets have remained silent about Kennedy. They haven't spoken up even though he has accused them of fraud and conspiracy, and promised to hold them accountable.' — 'That's not because they aren't worried, but because they didn't think they could stop him — or think the cost of speaking out would be too steep, five people representing health groups, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said. By staying mum, they hope to limit the fallout if Kennedy follows through on his plans to strip the industry to the studs.' — 'The health care industry's muted response to Kennedy is also a reflection of how much President Donald Trump has sacrificed traditional GOP constituencies to raise a populist, working-class revolt on the interests that once held sway in the capital — and how much Republicans in Congress have gone along.' HANGING A SHINGLE: Rachel Patterson and Sarah Meek have launched Patterson & Meek, a lobbying shop specializing in health care and disability policy with a special focus on protecting and promoting Medicaid. Patterson was most recently the director of disability policy for the White House Domestic Policy Council under former President Joe Biden, and Meek was previously an in-house lobbyist for Blue Cross Blue Shield's mid-Atlantic plan Care First. ONE TO WATCH: 'House lawmakers Wednesday advanced several GOP bills that aim to crack down on foreign gifts and contracts at American colleges and K-12 schools,' our Bianca Quilantan reports. — The House Education and Workforce Committee advanced measures that would lower the threshold for college foreign gift reporting requirements; restrict federal funding from K-12 schools that have partnerships with a cultural or language institute directly or indirectly funded by China; bar schools from accepting funds or entering into contracts with Chinese entities altogether; and require schools to allow parents to review curricula provided by or purchased with foreign funds, among other things. — Tim Walberg, who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee, warned during the markup that 'Chinese Communist Party influence in American classrooms is pervasive across all levels of education,' assertions that prompted pushback from his Democratic counterpart Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), who 'said the bills do not improve education and contradict the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Education Department.' ANNALS OF DARK MONEY: 'A small and financially opaque drug research nonprofit group based in Ohio has managed to get its research cited extensively in high-prestige publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Reuters,' but a review of public records by the Washington Examiner's Robert Schmad 'found that the organization, 46brooklyn Research, has strong ties to the pharmaceutical industry, a detail not present in the news coverage of its work.' — '46brooklyn, the seemingly small nonprofit research operation, is entangled in a financial network leading to the top lobbying arm of the pharmaceutical industry. It has been planting what it presents as independent research, which often supports the policy goals of drug manufacturers, across the legacy media. The group's ties to Big Pharma, however, are seldom disclosed by reporters.' — 'Few financial details are available about 46brooklyn directly, as the group reports less than $50,000 in revenue per year, which allows it to file a 990-N tax return, a form containing less information than a traditional nonprofit disclosure.' — 'The answer as to how a nonprofit research organization with seemingly so few resources can have this degree of impact can be found by examining a for-profit consulting firm called 3 Axis Advisors,' whose website says its staff 'dedicates significant time and resources to power 46brooklyn Research.' — 'The two entities share the same four staff members, according to their respective websites. By taking in revenue through a for-profit arm and generating research through a nonprofit group, 46brooklyn is able to avoid filing a traditional, more detailed nonprofit disclosure form. Indeed, 3 Axis Advisors takes in considerable income, with much of it coming from organizations linked to the pharmaceutical industry.' SPOTTED dining at Iron Gate last night, ahead of today's House Foreign Affairs hearing on USAID, per a tipster: Former USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios; Samah Norquist, the former Trump chief adviser to USAID's head of international religious freedom; Rev. Galen Carey of the National Association of Evangelicals; and Bill O'Keefe from Catholic Relief Services. Jobs report — The Council on Foreign Relations is adding David Lipton and Rebecca Patterson as senior fellows in the David Rockefeller Studies Program. Lipton most recently was counselor to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Patterson is an investor and macroeconomic researcher. — Beacon Global Strategies is adding Craig Singleton as a senior adviser and Dwayne Clark and Alex Rubin as associate vice presidents. Singleton is senior director for China at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Clark previously was a professional staff member for the House Foreign Affairs GOP. Rubin previously was an analyst at the CIA's China Mission Center. — Sarah Schakow is now director of public affairs at Cisco. She most recently was deputy assistant secretary for media relations at DHS and is a Gary Peters and Joe Donnelly alum. — Abby Kohlman is now senior counsel in Akin's white-collar defense and government investigations practice. She most recently was a federal prosecutor in the Justice Department's Fraud Section. — Summit Strategies has added Jean Roehrenbeck as a vice president. She most recently served as acting assistant secretary of governmental affairs at DOT. — Faiq Raza has joined the Roosevelt Group as a senior adviser. He most recently served as the Pentagon's liaison to Capitol Hill on acquisition and sustainment matters. — Aisling McDonough has joined Stanton Park Group. She was previously chief of staff and senior health policy adviser to former Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.). — BGR Group managing director David Urban has joined the board of directors of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate. New Joint Fundraisers None. New PACs CAMPAIGN CRYPTO PAC (Hybrid PAC) DTAB PAC (Super PAC) Free For Freedom 2028 (Super PAC) New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS A10 Associates, LLC: Certik A10 Associates, LLC: E-Force Marine A10 Associates, LLC: First Source Electronics LLC A10 Associates, LLC: Honeycomb Digital Investments, LLC A10 Associates, LLC: Kucoin Advanced Policy Consulting, LLC: Coalition For Community Solar Access Backstop Strategies, LLC: Uts Systems Crest Hill Advisors LLC: Ctia - The Wireless Association Crosswinds Solutions: Trails Preservation Alliance Hill, Gosdeck & Mcgraw, LLC: American Building Materials Alliance King And Co: Kick Ass Concepts Klein/Johnson Group: Hearst Television Inc. Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: The Manitowoc Company, Inc. Mr. David Distefano: American Nitrile Mr. Thomas Marquez: 4Sight Labs Mr. Thomas Marquez: Ombra Nestpoint Associates LLC: Ideal Innovation Corp. Schoening Strategies: American Lighting Association New Lobbying Terminations A10 Associates, LLC: Cdr Maguire Inc. A10 Associates, LLC: Monette Farm A10 Associates, LLC: Origin Property Group A10 Associates, LLC: Waterkeeper Alliance Brimley Group Inc.: American Civil Liberties Union Brimley Group Inc.: Correctional Leaders Assoc. (F.K.A. Assoc. Of State Correctional Administrators) Brimley Group Inc.: Just Detention International Morgan Casner Associates: Affiliated Sante Group
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Top recording artists press Congress on royalties for songs played on radio
Hundreds of famous names from across musical genres — including Mariah Carey, Jelly Roll, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Lil Jon, Reba McEntire, Ozzy Osbourne and Stevie Nicks — are calling on Congress to right an 'injustice' that they say has robbed them 'from being paid on terrestrial radio for decades.' In a Thursday letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), more than 300 entertainers urged lawmakers to pass the American Music Fairness Act. The legislation, the group said, would close an 'antiquated loophole' and ensure 'music creators are paid for their work when it's played on AM/FM radio.' '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,' the letter obtained by ITK said. 'Thankfully, there is legislation to right this injustice that has robbed us from being paid on terrestrial radio for decades,' said the letter, also signed by artists including P!nk, Carly Simon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Questlove, Gloria Estefan, Miranda Lambert and Aerosmith. '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,' the message to lawmakers said. '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,' it said. Members from the R&B group Boyz II Men headed to Capitol Hill on Thursday to make an in-person push for the legislation. The 'End of the Road' singers, including Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanyá Morris, were poised to meet with Johnson and other members of Congress. 'We're proud to be on Capitol Hill today meeting with lawmakers and asking them to pass the American Music Fairness Act,' the Boyz II Men members said in a statement. '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,' the group said. 'We hope that Congress will listen to the voices of artists and pass this bill.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Top recording artists press Congress on royalties for songs played on radio
Hundreds of famous names from across musical genres — including Mariah Carey, Jelly Roll, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Lil Jon, Reba McEntire, Ozzy Osbourne and Stevie Nicks — are calling on Congress to right an 'injustice' that they say has robbed them 'from being paid on terrestrial radio for decades.' In a Thursday letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), more than 300 entertainers urged lawmakers to pass the American Music Fairness Act. The legislation, the group said, would close an 'antiquated loophole' and ensure 'music creators are paid for their work when it's played on AM/FM radio.' '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,' the letter obtained by ITK said. 'Thankfully, there is legislation to right this injustice that has robbed us from being paid on terrestrial radio for decades,' said the letter, also signed by artists including P!nk, Carly Simon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Questlove, Gloria Estefan, Miranda Lambert and Aerosmith. '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,' the message to lawmakers said. '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,' it said. Members from the R&B group Boyz II Men headed to Capitol Hill on Thursday to make an in-person push for the legislation. The 'End of the Road' singers, including Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanyá Morris, were poised to meet with Johnson and other members of Congress. 'We're proud to be on Capitol Hill today meeting with lawmakers and asking them to pass the American Music Fairness Act,' the Boyz II Men members said in a statement. '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,' the group said. 'We hope that Congress will listen to the voices of artists and pass this bill.'
