Why it matters
The Recording Industry Association of America has significantly increased its lobbying investment to counter AI’s impact on creative work and to ensure copyright protection across digital platforms.
By the numbers
- $2,462,980 spent in Q1 2025
- $2,115,480 allocated to in-house lobbying team (85.9% of total)
- 8 outside firms engaged for specialized advocacy
Key focus areas
The RIAA’s lobbying disclosures reveal three primary concerns:
- Intellectual property protection: Copyright enforcement, platform accountability, and DMCA issues remain fundamental priorities
- Digital trade and international engagement: Protection of IP rights in trade agreements and dialogues with U.S. trading partners
- Artificial intelligence regulation: Rapidly growing focus on AI’s impact on creative works, reflecting urgent industry concerns about unauthorized use
Legislative targets
The organization is actively lobbying on several specific pieces of legislation:
- American Music Fairness Act (HR 791/S.253)
- NO FAKES Act of 2024 (S 4875/HR 9551)
- Local Radio Freedom Act (H.Con.Res.13/S.Con.Res.5)
- TRAIN Act (S. 5379)
- Anti-Counterfeiting Protection Act
Behind the lobbying effort
The RIAA’s lobbying team includes:
- Veterans: Morna Willens and Stan Mitchell Glazier have represented RIAA since the early 2000s
- Political insiders: George Edward Carmack York (former Trade Counsel for House Ways and Means)
- Recent additions: The RIAA added Continental Strategy and Iggy Ventures in late 2024, focusing respectively on AI/IP issues and anti-counterfeiting
Between the lines
RIAA’s lobbying efforts signal the recording industry’s growing concern about AI’s disruptive potential. By engaging specialized firms alongside its robust in-house operation, the RIAA is positioning itself as a formidable advocate during a critical period for creative industries navigating technological change.