Unfortunately there is much misinformation out there...
RIAA would have you believe that all they want is a fair deal. Radio stations ought to pay for using our music... They are mooching off of us by getting to broadcast it for free... (Yes, they do get to play for free). RIAA though, would rather you not know the other half of the story...
FM stations in the US do not pay for the music they play (However, any artist or record company can opt to put a song on the "Do Not Play List").
... Here is the second half of the deal ...
In turn, it is ILLEGAL for FM radio stations to accept money from record companies for giving their artists air time. So, RIAA gets to use the FM company's, and the DJ's, brand-recognition label and hard-earned reputation for free.
Record companies have always been desperate to get their new artists some FM airtime. So much so, they often resorted to bribery. Hence the notorious "Payola" scandals of the 50's.
... So thats the deal that FM Radio and RIAA had....
Now that FM radio held up their end of the bargain, throughout the decades, RIAA wants to change the rules in the middle of the game...
Their logic is...
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Gosh darn it, these days we just can't seem to come up with any new corporate board-room manufactured artist/bands who's albums, for which, kids would be willing to part with their money, otherwise saved up for far more entertaining video games. Yet, look at how many classic albums those kids buy! Made by those artists of past, who didn't worship money, and defied corporate big-wigs by making the music they wanted rather than what the marketplace dictated.
They gave our now well-established artists, who's material just mints money, the exposure they needed but that's in the past... Now we'll simply lobby Congress so that we can weasel out of this deal.
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