Kiss bassist Gene Simmons is set to testify before a Senate committee next week, giving star power to a renewed push for legislation that would change how radio stations pay recording artists.
His appearance marks a pivotal moment in the long-running battle to close what supporters argue is a long-standing loophole in the music industry's compensation system.
Simmons is scheduled to testify Dec. 9 before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property as lawmakers weigh the American Music Fairness Act, a proposal that would require AM and FM radio companies to pay performers when they broadcast their songs.
The appearance is scheduled two days after Simmons and his band are to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.
The musicFIRST Coalition announced the testimony Tuesday, casting Simmons as a leading advocate for a measure that artists say would bring traditional radio in line with digital streaming platforms.
Conservative lawmakers are increasingly pressuring major media companies, saying they treat creators unfairly — a dispute that reflects Republican concerns about the entertainment industry's concentrated power.
"Having spent my career in the music and entertainment industry, I understand the vital importance of this issue," Simmons said in a statement.
"The American Music Fairness Act represents sound public policy. Artists must be properly compensated for their creative work."
Simmons said he plans to meet with Republican and Democrat senators to outline why he views the bill as a necessary correction for thousands of current and future recording artists.
Supporters of the legislation have flagged what they see as a long-standing loophole that benefits major radio companies at the expense of performers.
Simmons will testify alongside Michael Huppe, president and CEO of SoundExchange, a nonprofit that collects and distributes digital streaming royalties.
Huppe has been one of the legislation's leading advocates, pressing Congress to bring radio in line with the compensation model applied to modern streaming platforms.
"I'm pleased for the opportunity to testify before the Senate next week," Huppe said in a statement.
"Recording artists are an essential part of our culture. It's outrageous that, in 2025, they still are not paid fairly for the work they do.
"I hope that the Senate will remedy this inequity and act swiftly to pass this important legislation," he added.
More than 300 artists signed a February letter urging lawmakers to advance the bill.
Supporters say the push reflects a growing bipartisan interest in revisiting legacy media rules that have not kept pace with the digital marketplace.
Conservatives, in particular, have framed the debate as part of a broader effort to ensure creators are treated fairly by large corporations that have long profited from broadcast radio.
In the past, artists relied on radio for exposure, but streaming now dominates music distribution.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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