The U.S. is the only major music market where artists don’t get paid when their songs are played on FM/AM radio, but why? Michael Huppe, CEO of SoundExchange, breaks down the century-old laws that shaped American radio, and what SoundExchange is doing to push for artists to get paid on radio through efforts such as the American Music Fairness Act. He joins host Kristin Robinson to unpack the history of radio, from payola scandals, the creation of satellite and online radio, the rise of consolidation and the shift from tastemaker to follower status in the streaming era. With AI radio personalities and data-driven choices on the rise in 2025, the radio landscape will certainly keep evolving in the years to come. Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:10 Setting the Stage: Does Radio Still Matter? 00:04:30 History of Radio’s Evolution and Impact 00:10:20 Artists and Royalties on Terrestrial Radio 00:16:50 The Relations...