Radio Vet Rebuts Gene Simmons on Music Fairness Act

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, February 5, 2026 | 1:01pm CT

Rock star meets radio host

A veteran radio programmer has pushed back on Gene Simmons' call for Congress to pass the American Music Fairness Act, arguing that the proposed legislation overlooks existing royalty structures and could unintentionally harm music radio.

In a letter to the editor published by the Los Angeles Times, K.M. Richards responded to Simmons' recent op-ed supporting the American Music Fairness Act, which would require AM/FM radio stations to pay performance royalties to artists. Richards said Simmons' argument was "incomplete," noting that many performers -- including Simmons himself -- already receive radio royalties as songwriters through publishing rights organizations such as ASCAP and BMI.

Richards pointed out that Simmons is credited as a songwriter or co-writer on several KISS songs that continue to receive airplay, meaning he already benefits financially from radio exposure. Richards suggested that adding a separate performance royalty could amount to "double dipping" for artists who are also songwriters.

The letter also challenges Simmons' claim that the bill would primarily benefit emerging artists. Richards argued that many newer artists likewise write or co-write their own material and already earn songwriting royalties, while streaming platforms -- often cited as discovery tools -- already pay performance royalties.

Beyond the royalty debate, Richards warned of broader economic consequences for broadcasters. With radio listening and station profit margins declining due to competition from streaming and social media, he said imposing a new mandated fee could accelerate the shift away from music formats toward royalty-free spoken-word programming.

Richards is the Program Director for the syndicated Eighties Channel format, with flagship station KRKE in Albuquerque, and has spent more than 50 years in broadcasting.

Simmons, in his original op-ed, argued that AM/FM radio remains the only major music platform in the U.S. that does not pay performers for airplay and urged Congress to close what he called a longstanding loophole in copyright law.