Gene Simmons Claims Musicians Are ‘Treated Worse Than Slaves’ Because Radio Doesn’t Pay Them

Gene Simmons has urged Congress to overhaul how artists are paid when their music is played on the radio.

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the 76-year-old KISS bassist appeared before a Senate subcommittee to speak in support of the American Music Fairness Act, legislation that would require performers to be compensated when their recorded music is broadcast on radio, according to CBS News.

Currently, as explained by SoundExchange, only songwriters receive royalties when tracks are played on the radio. The performing artists — whether lead or backing vocalists — do not receive payment for those broadcasts.

Simmons underscored the stakes by invoking legendary performers like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley, noting that they “never got a penny for all the millions of times” their songs were spun on the airwaves.

He also recalled a moment from the Kennedy Center Honors, where he said he asked fellow honoree George Strait whether he knew he’d never been paid for radio plays of his hit “Amarillo by Morning.” According to Simmons, Strait was unaware and had to confirm the reality of the situation with his team.

“If you are against this bill, you are un-American,” Simmons told the panel. “You cannot let this injustice continue. It looks like a small issue … but our emissaries to the world are Elvis and Frank Sinatra.”

He went on, “And when they find out we’re not treating our stars right — in other words, worse than slaves; slaves get food and water. Elvis and Sinatra and Bing Crosby got nothing for their performance. You’ve got to change this now.”

During the hearing, Simmons and other witnesses compared U.S. policy with other countries’ approaches to radio royalties and pointed out that nations like Russia and China already pay both songwriters and performers when recordings are broadcast. Simmons added that some countries have withheld royalties from American artists because those performers don’t receive payment for radio airplay in the United States.

“How do we dare come in second to Russia?” he asked. “An alleged country led by a despot, when they do a better job of paying our King of Rock & Roll, and we’re going to stand by and not pay today’s artists and future artists?”

Joining Simmons on the panel was Michael Huppe, president and CEO of SoundExchange, the nonprofit that collects and distributes digital streaming royalties, and Henry Hinton, a broadcaster and owner of four radio stations in North Carolina. Hinton opposed the legislation, calling it “economically untenable for local radio broadcasters.”

“When new fees are imposed, free local radio’s only option is to cut elsewhere,” Hinton said. “Stations have to make the choice between covering local football games or paying new fees; between making their payroll, or sending more money to the recording industry — an industry currently making record profits, I might add.”

Simmons’ testimony came just two days after he was recognized by President Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center Honors, where he was celebrated alongside his KISS bandmates, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, George Strait and Gloria Gaynor.