Does Radio Still Matter in 2026? | Billboard On the Record

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 Relationship Between Radio and Artists
00:22:10 Why the U.S. is Unique in Radio Royalties
00:28:40 The Creation of SoundExchange
00:34:25 Niche Radio Platforms and Music Discovery
00:40:10 Radio Consolidation and its Impacts
00:45:20 The Role of AI in Radio and Music
00:50:40 SoundExchange and AI Royalties
00:54:10 American Music Fairness Act Explained
00:57:20 Guest’s Playlist Picks
01:00:00 Closing Thoughts and Thank You

Host:
Kristin Robinson

Executive Producers:
Diona DaCosta
Hannah Karp
Jade Watson

Produced By:
Kayla Forman
Mateo Vergara

Edited By:
Rachel Derbyshire

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Does Radio Still Matter in 2026? | Billboard On the Record

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