# 119-s-326: American Music Fairness Act

119-s-326, American Music Fairness Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-326
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-326
- Congress: 119
- Title: American Music Fairness Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-30
- Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Commerce
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Extends the exclusive public performance right for sound recordings to terrestrial radio and all audio transmissions.** This bill would require nonsubscription broadcast transmissions to obtain a license and pay royalties when they play copyright-protected sound recordings, aligning terrestrial radio with the existing statutory royalty system for internet services. - Artists and performers would gain a clear right to be paid when sound recordings are transmitted by terrestrial radio or other audio streams. The bill preserves existing royalties for songwriters and owners of musical works. - Individual FCC-licensed small stations could qualify for flat annual fees instead of per-play rates, with fees ranging from $10 to $500 per station depending on revenue and station type and subject to owner revenue caps and certifications. - The Copyright Royalty Board would set rates on a schedule with an initial rate-setting period running through December 31, 2028 and then every five years. The bill also requires a new 50% allocation of certain statutory-license receipts to a nonprofit collective that distributes payments to featured and nonfeatured artists.

## Cosponsors (5)

- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-01-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] (R-NC), 2025-01-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-01-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hagerty, Bill [R-TN] (R-TN), 2025-07-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-07-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Fixed low fees for small stations: benefit, medium. If enacted, eligible small terrestrial stations would pay fixed yearly royalties. If a station had under $100,000 revenue last year, it would pay $10 per year. If a station had $100,000 to $1,499,999 last year, public stations would pay $100 per year and nonpublic stations $500 per year. If enacted…
- Songwriters' performance rights protected: benefit, low. If enacted, nothing in the bill would reduce songwriters' public-performance rights or royalties. If enacted, the bill would preserve existing performance entitlements for writers and musical-work copyright owners against any contrary effect of the other amendments.
- Broadcasters and services pay royalties: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would create a public performance right when sound recordings are sent by "audio transmission." If enacted, "audio transmission" would cover digital, analog, and other audio formats but not video. If enacted, the bill would require a rate-setting proceeding to start soon after…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-1816: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
- 119-s-1289: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act
- 119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former United States Senator for the State of Kansas.
- 119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewellyn Kyl, former Senator for the State of Arizona.

## Sources
- [119-s-326 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/326)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-1816: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1816)
- [119-s-1289: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1289)
- [119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former Uni…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-913)
- [119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewel…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-897)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-326 (as of 2026-08-11).