Radio
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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to prevent radio stations from offering airplay to artists in exchange for performing free shows.
In a letter sent to FCC chairman Brendan Carr on Thursday (Jan. 30), Blackburn decried the alleged practice she says is “critically impacting Tennessee’s content creators,” branding it as “payola” — the practice of accepting payment in exchange for radio airplay without disclosing it.
“As you know, the FCC considers payola a violation of the Sponsorship Identification Rules,” Blackburn wrote. “From what we have learned, it appears that to sidestep these restrictions, radio stations and networks have adopted a troubling new tactic. Instead of demanding cash or lavish perks from record labels in exchange for airplay, they now pressure artists to perform ‘free radio shows’ — also referred to as ‘listener appreciation shows’ or ‘charitable concert events.’”
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She adds that radio stations “often receive the financial benefit of these shows through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other income while the artists and record labels frequently absorb the expense.”
Blackburn claims she has heard from artists in the industry who say “it is not unusual for them to perform anywhere from 10 to 50 such shows in any given year.” She adds that artists early in their careers tend to perform more but that “those that have had more success” are still often expected to perform free shows in exchange for airtime.
“This practice is exploitative and should not be tolerated,” the letter continues. “Federal law and FCC rules prohibit radio stations from receiving undisclosed compensation for broadcasting songs, and this principle must extend to free performances for radio stations and networks. Artists should not be extorted into providing free labor in exchange for airplay. I urge you to take swift action to end this abuse and protect our music community.”
A longstanding issue in the music industry, payola was first regulated by Congress in 1960 and later became the subject of a mid-2000s investigation by the New York Attorney General’s office that led to all three major labels paying millions in penalties and agreeing to reforms, including a vow not to use “commercial transactions…in an explicit or implicit exchange, agreement, or understanding to obtain airplay or increase airplay,” among other concessions.
Despite this, there has been ongoing concern in the industry and beyond about the continued effectiveness of these regulations. In 2019, then-FCC commissioner Michael O’Rielly asked the Recording Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to investigate allegations of payola. In 2022, several music executives met with the New York Attorney General’s office to complain that some independent promoters hired by labels had continued engaging in the practice.
According to Blackburn, whose state’s capital city of Nashville is the heart of the country music business, the alleged free concerts are simply payola in another form, writing that there’s “often an implicit suggestion that declining to perform could result in reduced airplay” — what she characterizes as “forced quid pro quo.”
You can read Blackburn’s letter in full below.
The Honorable Brendan Carr
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
45 L Street, NE
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Carr, Thank you for your leadership at the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). I am writing to bring attention to an issue critically impacting Tennessee’s content creators, particularly its songwriters and music community.
Federal law prohibits radio stations from accepting payment for airtime without disclosing the transaction—a practice commonly known as “payola.”1 As you know, the FCC considers payola a violation of the Sponsorship Identification Rules. 2
From what we have learned, it appears that to sidestep these restrictions, radio stations and networks have adopted a troubling new tactic. Instead of demanding cash or lavish perks from record labels in exchange for airplay, they now pressure artists to perform “free radio shows”— also referred to as “listener appreciation shows” or “charitable concert events.”
We have heard the new scheme works in this manner: radio stations and networks offer more airtime for an artist’s songs if the artist performs a free show. There is often an implicit suggestion that declining to perform could result in reduced airplay. Radio stations and networks often receive the financial benefit of these shows through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other income while the artists and record labels frequently absorb the expense.
This forced quid pro quo applies to essentially all artists, regardless of their level of success. Artists in the industry have told me that it is not unusual for them to perform anywhere from 10 to 50 such shows in any given year. Those just starting out in their career will often perform more, while those that have had more success will have to perform fewer, but they will still be expected to do them.
This practice is exploitative and should not be tolerated. Federal law and FCC rules prohibit radio stations from receiving undisclosed compensation for broadcasting songs, and this principle must extend to free performances for radio stations and networks. Artists should not be extorted into providing free labor in exchange for airplay.
I urge you to take swift action to end this abuse and protect our music community. Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter.
Sincerely,
Marsha Blackburn
United States Senator
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” tends to a 27th week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart — breaking out of a tie with The Weeknd‘s “Blinding Lights” for the most time spent at No. 1 in the survey’s history.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” previously logged a record-tying 19 weeks at No. 1 on the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Billboard Hot 100, beginning last July.
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The track holds atop Radio Songs with 63.3 million in audience Jan. 24-30, essentially even week-over-week, according to data tracker Luminate. The chart reflects all-format airplay on more than 1,000 monitored radio stations; Pop Airplay chart reporter KDHT (Hits 95.7) Denver has played the song the most to date, more than 4,000 times.
Here’s a rundown of the longest-leading Radio Songs No. 1s, dating to the chart’s December 1990 start:
27 weeks, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey, beginning Aug. 10, 2024
26, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, April 18, 2020
18, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Feb. 25, 2023
18, “Iris,” Goo Goo Dolls, Aug. 1, 1998
16, “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, Aug. 4, 2018
16, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, May 28, 2005
16, “Don’t Speak,” No Doubt, Dec. 7, 1996
15, “Easy On Me,” Adele, Dec. 4, 2021
14, “High Hopes,” Panic! at the Disco, Dec. 1, 2018
14, “No One,” Alicia Keys, Nov. 3, 2007
14, “Because You Loved Me,” Celine Dion, April 13, 1996
“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” on American Dogwood/EMPIRE and with country radio promotion by Magnolia Music, dominated the Country Airplay chart for seven weeks beginning last August, the longest No. 1 run for a first entry, and ranks in the top 10 for a record-extending 31st week.
The song also made history as the first to hit the top five (or even top 10) on Country Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay (two weeks at No. 1 on each chart) and Rhythmic Airplay (No. 3 peak).
“There were many, many doubters of our ability to work this record at radio,” EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan told Billboard after “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. “The industry loves telling independents that there’s a ceiling to what they can do on their own, and this was no different. We were told it can’t be done, and, as we like to do, we proved them wrong. We’ve assembled a fantastic team that we had full faith in – and they delivered.”
All charts (dated Feb. 8, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Feb. 4. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
SiriusXM reported revenue from subscribers fell by nearly 4%, while ad revenue held flat for the full year in 2024, as the satellite radio company’s nascent streaming app failed to jump-start its subscribers as hoped.
The company generated $8.7 billion in revenue and adjusted EBITDA of $2.73 billion last year, representing declines of 3% and 2% respectively from 2023 figures. Subscriber revenue declines were the biggest contributing factor to the ho-hum year, but it was partially offset by the company lowering costs by cutting marketing, business expenses and staff.
“At the end of 2024, we took significant steps to refocus on SiriusXM’s core strengths and enhance operational efficiency,” Sirius Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Witz said in a statement. “By prioritizing our core in-car subscription business, leveraging our streaming capabilities, and growing our leadership in ad-supported audio, we are well-positioned to deliver long-term value. Looking ahead, we are energized by the opportunities to build on this strategy and continue offering unparalleled audio experiences through our platforms.”
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SiriusXM announced in December that was shifting marketing and other resources away from the streaming app it launche in Dec. 2023 to prioritize its subscribers who pay to listen to its music, sports and news radio and podcasts in vehicles.
Sirius is the dominant provider of audio entertainment subscriptions in vehicles in the U.S. but concerns over softening subscriber revenue and an eagerness to attract more younger subscribers pushed the launch of a streaming app last December.
The company met its 2024 financial targets–adjusted EBITDA of $2.73 billion and a margin of 31%–but its executives were peppered by questions about disappointing advertising revenue and internal guidance that 2025 will see sharper declines in adjusted EBITDA than they saw in 2024.
The company has a complicated business model, part of which hinges on customers choosing to start paying for their service after first trying a free trial subscription. Witz told analysts on their earnings call they expect to stabilize conversion rates this year for certain product lines like its 360L, a new premium in-vehicle audio platform with more channels. That said, she advised the number of net new subscribers in 2025 is again expected to decline.
The company said it is expecting $8.5 billion in total revenue in 2025, with $1.15 billion in free cash flow and $2.6 billion in adjusted EBITDA.
Here are the main take-aways from SiriusXM’s fourth quarter and annual earnings report:
The SiriusXM segment of the overall company–which doesn’t include Pandora–reported 2024 revenue of $6.6 billion, down 4% from 2023. The decline was driven by lower susbcriber, equipment and other revenue and a smaller average base of self-pay subscribers.
Average revenue per user in 2024 of $15.21 fell 35 cents from the prior year because of declining ad revenue, lower rates the company gets paid from automakers to offer promotional plans in their cars, and more people subscribing only for the streaming app, which has a lower price than the in-car subscription.
SiriusXM self-pay subscribers fell by 296,000 in 2024. The company had 33 million total subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2024.
SiriusXM gross profit totaled $3.9 billion in 2024, 6% lower than 2023, but with a gross margin of 60%, roughly flat from 2023.
Pandora and Off-platform self-pay subscribers decreased by 101,000 in the fourth quarter to end the year at 5.8 million in total.
Pandora and off-platform revenue totaled $2.15 billion in 2024, up 2% from 2023, helped by increased revenues from subscribers, advertising, podcasting and programmatic sales.
Audacy president/CEO David Field is stepping down, with current Audacy board member Kelli Turner to serve as interim president/CEO, effective immediately. A search is underway for Field’s permanent successor, the company said on Wednesday. Field has served as president of Audacy since 1998, and added CEO duties to his role in 2002. He will continue […]
Surprise!
When Morgan Wallen dropped a new song on Dec. 30, the move came as a double surprise. For starters, the world hadn’t known it was on the way, and “Smile” gave his fans an unexpected bonus to start off 2025. Additionally, the video followed a plot in which Wallen gave fictitious TV producers an unwelcome surprise, performing “Smile” for an in-studio audience when the rundown — and the teleprompter — were queued up for “Love Somebody.”
In the process, Wallen toyed with one of the keys to a successful music career: the art of surprise. It can take all kinds of forms, be it an unpromoted album release, such as Eric Church‘s 2015 project Mr. Misunderstood; an unannounced concert walk-on, as when Willie Nelson appeared onstage during an Oct. 11 performance by Chris Stapleton in Austin; or a simple fashion decision, a la Dolly Parton‘s Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit during a Thanksgiving 2023 halftime show.
“We’re in a world where click bait is everything,” independent artist Chris Housman says. “If you’re watching a movie, you want to be shocked, too. I think it applies to music.”
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The word “surprise” is rarely used in connection with a creative target in country music, though surprises often fuel the genre’s songs. The hesitation when Megan Moroney says, “Wait,” in the middle of “Am I Okay?” is a head-turner the first time a listener hears it. The tight, in-your-face harmonies in Dan + Shay‘s “Speechless” carried a level of surprise when that song arrived in 2018. And the odd use of the fishing-related noun “spinner bait” as a verb in Justin Moore‘s current “Time’s Ticking” has a what-did-I-hear value that subtly encourages fans to lean in further to decipher the story.
“I’ve had songs in the past where you look at the title and you think it’s going to be one thing, and then it turns out to be something completely different,” Moore says. “I always like that, when songs surprise you.”
Not everyone does. Radio programmers have operated for decades under the belief that most of their audience is looking for songs they already know they like. When they’re surprised with a new song, they tend to want one that sounds like it already belongs — either the voice is familiar or the general sound of the music fits with what they already know.
“That’s what we’re all chasing, is that fine line of something that’s special and shocking, but also familiar to the fans that we’ve already cultivated,” Carly Pearce says. “How do we make new fans? How do we stretch it within the margins of our artistry? I mean, I think about it all the time: How do I elevate but still keep the base?”
Collaborations often create surprise, allowing both artists to maintain their sound while they develop a joint presence, as Pearce discovered in duet singles with Stapleton, Lee Brice and Ashley McBryde. Cover songs can do that, too — particularly when they’re not obvious. Tigirlily Gold, for example, has caught fans off guard by segueing from “Blonde” into “9 to 5” during concerts, while Drew Baldridge has occasionally slid Dua Lipa‘s most unlikely “Levitating” into his set list.
“People are like, ‘What is happening? This country dude is singing some pop song?’ ” Baldridge says. “That’s really fun. With our set, we try to throw in some songs that people wouldn’t expect some big country boy to do.”
Streaming platforms and social media have built much of their models around the idea of providing subscribers a steady flow of new content — surprises that, thanks to algorithms built to determine users’ tastes, are designed to land favorably.
Streaming has, as the industry knows well, put a major dent in albums’ popularity, and some of that shift is a result of artists uploading a steady flow of new music that feeds fans’ demand for content. Thus, artists now provide surprises to their audience on a regular basis. But in the process, particularly when those songs are advance releases that tease upcoming projects, they take away some of the unknowns that were historically part of the album experience.
“Back in the day, when the Eric Church record would come out, you would go to the store and buy it,” Dylan Marlowe recalls. “You had no idea what was on it, and that was the coolest part to me.”
Thus, those tracks pushed out in advance of an album might bring attention to the project, but releasing too many might actually prove detrimental.
“I think it gives it a shorter shelf life,” Marlowe suggests. “There’s just no surprise. You’ve heard [some of the songs] a million times before you’ve even heard it.”
Heavy repetition is desirable — more performances equal higher royalties — but it also changes the effect of the music. When Little Big Town released “Pontoon” in 2012, the odd sound of the opening instrumental riff — a stinging combination of mandolin and a programmed keyboard — was such a cool surprise that listeners wanted to hear it over and over. But as the song aged, that repetition changed the riff from an edgy, sonic curveball to a comfortable mainstream offering. It’s that constant evolution, from fresh and surprising to familiar and safe, that continues to challenge music makers to find new ways to spark listeners’ imaginations.
“If the surprise is the same surprise over and over again, people are going to get bored,” says songwriter Laura Veltz (“The Bones,” “What If I Never Get Over You”). “You can’t say the same joke over and over again, right? But as a creator, my job is to create a new surprise. Every single time new music is released, the game changes. We have to ebb and flow. That’s the job; that’s the game.”
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Alex Warren is in the middle of packing when he logs on to Zoom, sitting in a bedroom with only a bed and some taped-up boxes behind him. It’s just before the holidays, and the pop singer-songwriter is preparing to move from Los Angeles to Nashville with his wife (and fellow Internet personality) Kouvr Annon. “We’re young,” he reasons, “so let’s go experience some other things and see what we like.”
The 24-year-old is accustomed to whirlwind life changes. His latest single, the piano-backed ode to resilience “Burning Down,” became his first Billboard Hot 100 hit in October, and signaled his breakthrough as a musician. Prior to making music his full-time gig, from late 2019 to 2022, he and Annon were major players in Hype House, a popular group of TikTok content creators that frequently collaborated and lived together. (They both starred in the 2022 Netflix docuseries of the same name, which lasted one season.)
Even before the Hype House disbanded the same year, Warren had already begun to pivot into a music career, a passion of his since he began playing guitar as a child. He released his aching, guitar-driven debut single, “One More I Love You” as an independent artist in June 2021, and the track quickly drew a following on streaming platforms. With a manager already in tow — Odd Projects’ Brian Sokolik, whom he first met four years ago through a former agent — the two began to field major label offers. Warren signed with Atlantic Records in 2022.
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“We were looking for a label that really understood Alex as a person and would teach him what works best,” Sokolik recalls. “Our first meeting with Atlantic, it was pretty obvious that it was home. They came in and were brutally honest about what was good and what wasn’t, but in a really productive, constructive way.”
Austin Hargrave
In the months that followed, Warren’s life, both professionally and personally, continued to accelerate: he dropped his first single under Atlantic, “Headlights,” in August 2022, and followed it with “Chasing Shadows” that December. He then kicked off 2023 by proposing to Annon before embarking on his first headlining tour. He continued releasing more singles through last year all while maintaining his content creation career, pumping out daily TikTok videos and Instagram Reels.
Over time, Warren has become more comfortable with his music reflecting his challenging upbringing. His father passed away when he was nine years old, after which he lived with his mother, who struggled with alcoholism and died in 2021. She kicked Warren out of the house just after he turned 18, and he spent the next five months homeless. Reflecting today, he’s grateful to be able to channel such painful experiences into his music.
“I recently started doing this thing where I write about those [experiences], and I try to take control in a way,” he says. “For me, something really beautiful is taking something so sad and dark, and what most would view as something that ruined their life, and turn it into something that can help people.”
Alex Warren photographed December 19, 2024, in Los Angeles.
Austin Hargrave
Last May, during a set of studio sessions in Los Angeles, Warren felt particularly inspired by such memories, and began to write with collaborators Adam Yaron, Cal Shapiro and Mags Duval. The result was “Burning Down,” which came together in just a day, among other tracks over the course of the productive week.
“I’ve always let people walk all over me, and ‘Burning Down’ was a song I always wanted to write, but never had the balls to do it,” he says of his biggest hit to date, released on Sept. 20, one week ahead of his debut album, You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1). Warren’s deep, husky voice frees himself from the blame of an unhealthy relationship over a stomping piano beat.
He put his social media savvy to good use to bolster the song’s hype leading up to its release, posting a number of videos to his 16 million TikTok followers lip synching to the song with Annon. From Warren’s perspective, there’s no gimmick in getting his followers — whom he affectionately calls his “friends” — to listen to his music.
“The drawback for a lot of musicians is that they don’t necessarily understand social media,” he says. “In my career, I have been so open with my friends who follow me. They know everything about me and we’re so connected and I love that. I’m thinking of these people while I’m writing these songs, because I’m thinking about what I would want to hear if I was still going through that.”
“He knows what his fans want and will respond well to,” Sokolik adds. “Alex will tell me, ‘I have an idea for a video. I’m going to tease this and see how people respond to it.’ If they respond the same way we are, then full steam ahead — and that’s exactly what happened.”
“Burning Down” became Warren’s first Hot 100 entry, debuting at No. 76 on the Oct. 5-dated chart, and reaching No. 69 the following week. As the song continued to build both on streaming platforms and at radio, Atlantic’s A&R team reached out to Joe Jonas’ team to gauge interest in a potential remix. Jonas was already a fan. “He told us he heard the song, had it saved to a playlist on Spotify and wanted to jump in and do it with us,” Sokolik recalls.
The “Burning Down” remix arrived in December, with Jonas and Warren trading lines during verses before blending together seamlessly in the chorus. In the week following its release, the song (in all versions) was up 70% (Dec. 6-12) from the week before to 6.2 million U.S. official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. Since the arrival of the remix, “Burning Down” has also lifted on multiple radio-based Billboard charts: in January, the single hit new highs of No. 25 on Pop Airplay and No. 31 on Adult Pop Airplay.
Ahead, Warren is booked for a world tour that kicks off in February in Europe — and he has plenty of songs to come, teasing an impending Chapter 2 installment of his debut album. “I’ve always dreamed of this moment,” he says.
“There are very few people I’ve met in my life who are willing to do whatever it takes,” adds Sokolik. “Alex is one of those people. Whatever he puts his mind to, he will accomplish.”
Brian Sokolik, left, and Alex Warren photographed December 19, 2024, in Los Angeles.
Austin Hargrave
This story appears in the Jan. 25, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Manuela Ferradas has joined SiriusXM in a senior management role, Billboard can confirm. Based out of the company’s Miami Beach studios, Ferradas will oversee the Latin artist and industry relations team for SiriusXM and Pandora. According to a press release, Ferradas will “secure talent and deliver marketing plans to external partners for various SiriusXM and Pandora opportunities […]
Two of country music’s most unfiltered, visionary artists —Jelly Roll and Eric Church — will close out 2025’s annual Country Radio Seminar in Nashville by teaming up for an unscripted, intimate conversation.
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The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 21, as the two CMA Award-winning artists close out this year’s radio-focused seminar, which runs Feb. 19-21 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville. The annual seminar features a mix of radio and music industry-focused panels, networking events, concert, label luncheons and the annual New Faces of Country Music Showcase. (Jelly Roll was a featured performer in the New Faces of Country Music showcase in 2023, while Church was part of the showcase in 2007.)
Last year’s Country Radio Seminar featured conversations from artists including Lainey Wilson, Trisha Yearwood and Megan Moroney.
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“We are thrilled to have Eric Church and Jelly Roll close out CRS 2025,” RJ Curtis, Executive Director of CRS, said in a statement. “Their ability to connect with fans and push the boundaries of the genre makes this session a perfect culmination of this year’s seminar.”
Jelly Roll recently earned his first all-genre Billboard 200 chart-topping album with Beautifully Broken, and was nominated for entertainer of the year at the 2024 CMA Awards. Last year also saw the Antioch, Tenn., native launch his Beautifully Broken headlining arena tour and play his first international tour dates. He appeared at the Kids’ Choice Awards and on WWE, and teamed with MGK for the collaboration “Lonely Road,” as well as with Post Malone for the song “Losers” as part of Posty’s F-1 Trillion album.
Earlier this year, following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, which impacted Church’s home state of North Carolina, he released the song “Darkest Hour (Helene Edit)” and teamed with Luke Combs, Billy Strings and more to hold Concert for Carolina, a benefit concert that raised more than $24 million for hurricane relief efforts.
Lupe Fiasco is teaming up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to produce an FM radio station. There’s a catch, though: The project will be fully powered by artificial intelligence. The Chicago rapper-turned-professor made the announcement on Instagram last week with a lengthy caption, which read in part: “Imagine if there was a 24-hour fully […]
Horror author Stephen King’s rock ‘n’ roll radio station is going to continue rocking around the clock and into the new year.
Two businessmen purchased WKIT-FM from the best-selling writer after he announced that the station and two others would go silent after New Year’s Eve. The buyers are the Maine-based duo Greg Hawes and Jeff Solari, who formed Rock Lobster Radio Group to run the station.
“WKIT is the most legendary station in the region. It has tremendous history. We couldn’t let it die,” they said in a statement.
King is a lifelong rocker and performed with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a band that featured literary icons performing for charity. He announced earlier this month that at age 77 he thought it was time to say goodbye to the radio stations.
“I’m sorry as hell to be closing down WKIT and its sister stations,” King posted earlier this month on social media. “I held off the suits for as long as I could.”
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General manager Ken Wood, who has been with the stations for 10 years, also acknowledged the end of an era but appreciated the Kings’ commitment to local broadcasting.
“Independent, locally owned radio stations used to be the norm,” Wood said. “There’re only a few left in Maine, and we’re lucky we had these three as long as we did.”
The prolific author bought WLBZ in 1983, renaming it WZON in homage to his 1979 novel The Dead Zone. The station was sold in 1990 but re-acquired by the Kings three years later. Despite King’s passion for radio and his efforts to maintain local and independent stations, the three stations have consistently lost money, with King personally covering the deficits.
Since getting into the terrestrial radio business in 1983, King has written over 50 novels, including well-known works such as It, Misery, The Dark Tower series, Pet Sematary, Under the Dome, Skeleton Crew, The Green Mile and 11/22/63, among many others.