Gene Simmons, Radio Royalties & The AI Artist Future :: Ep 17 Circling the Drain Podcast

On this episode of Circling the Drain, Johnny B, Jay, and Jim dive deep into Gene Simmons’ push for the American Music Fairness Act and what it could mean for already-struggling terrestrial radio. They unpack who really benefits from new royalty schemes, why small “mom & pop” stations could be crushed, and how streaming and AI are rapidly reshaping the music business.

From stories of old-school radio logging and payola-era politics to modern streaming, AI-generated hits, and DIY “instant artists,” the guys explore whether Gene is picking the wrong fight—and what the real endgame might be. Along the way, they hit on artist exploitation, fan loyalty, the death (and possible rebirth) of local radio, and why creatives must learn to **sell their own value**.

- **[00:00:00]** Kicking off with Gene Simmons, Sheryl Crow, and the question: who should pay whom for radio airplay?

- **[00:04:21]** Breaking down the **American Music Fairness Act** and the financial realities of radio paying both writers and artists.

- **[00:09:22]** Is Gene Simmons secretly trying to **kill radio** to push everything toward streaming? The conspiracy angle.

- **[00:14:30]** Sheryl Crow’s past effort to get musicians paid and how stations responded by cutting her from playlists and bumper music.

- **[00:19:14]** Politics enters the chat: why Republicans are backing the bill and how artists align (or don’t) with parties.

- **[00:23:11]** The looming wave of **AI-generated artists and songs** and what that means for real musicians and discoverability.

- **[00:28:20]** From **Napster to now**: overpriced CDs, filler albums, cherry-picking tracks, and why legacy acts live on the road.

- **[00:31:06]** Horrible contracts and exploitation—from classic R&B and soul to syndicated talk radio talent getting shortchanged.

- **[00:35:00]** Radio’s forgotten leverage: labels paying for promotions, giveaways, and the historic payola dynamic.

- **[00:45:07]** “You’re either being sold or doing the selling”: why radio people (and creatives) must learn to **sell themselves**.

- **[00:53:52]** Knowing your worth vs. **selling your worth**—turning talent and results into real raises and better deals.

- **[00:58:25]** A live pitch: why sponsoring *Circling the Drain* is a killer opportunity for advertisers in a crowded audio world.

- **[00:59:35]** Signing off with a jab at “consultants” and a tease for the next episode.

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Follow Jim:

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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co

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