Musicians want radio stations to pay them fees

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ANN SANNER
Associated Press

Sheryl Crow, will.i.am, Herbie Hancock and other entertainers are asking Congress to force radio stations to pay them when their music is broadcast.

The musicians appeared Tuesday on Capitol Hill on behalf of the musicFirst Coalition to push legislation that would require radio stations to pay them royalties for when their songs are played.

Satellite radio, Internet radio and cable TV music channels already pay fees to performers and musicians, along with songwriter royalties. But commercial AM and FM radio stations do not.

The National Association of Broadcasters opposes the fee for performers. It says it puts thousands of radio jobs at risk. The association also says radio stations drive listeners to buy music.