President Donald Trump has signed the American Music Tourism Act into law.
The White House confirmed that Trump signed the bill, S. 195, on October 9.
The law requires the US Department of Commerce to identify the US locations and events that are “important to music tourism” and to promote domestic and international travel to them.
The legislation amends the Visit America Act, adding music to the travel-promotion duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism.
S. 195 also adds a definition of music tourism to federal law.
Under the Act, music tourism covers travel to historic or modern-day music attractions, including museums, studios, and “venues of all sizes.” It also covers travel to attend a festival, a concert, or another live musical performance or music-related special event.
The Assistant Secretary must report to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee within a year of the law’s enactment, and every two years after that.
Those reports must cover the “activities, findings, achievements, and vulnerabilities” relating to the travel and tourism goals in the Visit America Act.
Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn and Colorado Democrat John Hickenlooper led the legislation in the Senate.
Senators Bill Hagerty, Gary Peters, Andy Kim, and Ted Budd co-sponsored the bill, according to a statement released by Blackburn‘s office on Wednesday (October 14).
In the House, Tennessee Republican Diana Harshbarger and California Democrat Nanette Barragán led a companion bill, H.R. 617.
“The Volunteer State is home to so many iconic landmarks for tourists to experience – from Graceland in Memphis to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge,” said Blackburn. “Music tourism has such a positive impact on Tennessee’s economy, and we need to ensure that fans from all over the world continue to celebrate our state’s rich history of music for generations to come.
“Music tourism has such a positive impact on Tennessee’s economy, and we need to ensure that fans from all over the world continue to celebrate our state’s rich history of music for generations to come.”
Marsha Blackburn, US Senator
“The American Music Tourism Act will promote and support the fast-growing tourism industry, and I am pleased it has been signed into law by President Trump.”
“We’re glad to see our American Music Tourism Act become law,” said Hickenlooper. “Our new law will drive even more visitors to our outstanding venues across Colorado.”
Organizations endorsing the legislation include the Recording Academy, the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), BMI, ASCAP, the RIAA, Global Music Rights, and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), according to Blackburn‘s office.
“Today is a great day for music people everywhere,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.
“The signing of the American Music Tourism Act recognizes what we’ve always known: music doesn’t just move us; it moves local economies. From the venues that anchor their neighborhoods to the creators who fill them, this law honors the real impact of music on communities across the country.
“From the venues that anchor their neighborhoods to the creators who fill them, this law honors the real impact of music on communities across the country.”
Harvey Mason jr., Recording Academy
“We’re grateful to Senators Blackburn and Hickenlooper and Representatives Harshbarger and Barragán for their bipartisan leadership, and to the president for signing this into law. The Recording Academy has championed this since day one, and we’re proud to see it cross the finish line.”
“U.S. music venues showcase songwriters’ work for travelers from all over the world,” said David Israelite, President & CEO of the NMPA. “We are pleased to see the American Music Tourism Act pass into law, which we expect will lead not only to commercial growth but also a greater appreciation of American music, history, culture, and creators.
“We are pleased to see the American Music Tourism Act pass into law, which we expect will lead not only to commercial growth but also a greater appreciation of American music, history, culture, and creators.”
David Israelite, NMPA
“We greatly appreciate Senators Blackburn and Hickenlooper‘s continued leadership and focus on protecting and encouraging music creation and consumption.”
“BMI applauds Senators Blackburn and Hickenlooper for getting the American Music Tourism Act across the finish line and into law,” said Mike O’Neill, President & CEO of BMI.
“Adding the weight of the federal government to promoting music tourism home and abroad will help turbocharge growth we’re already seeing in music-related travel.”
Mike O’Neill, BMI
“Adding the weight of the federal government to promoting music tourism home and abroad will help turbocharge growth we’re already seeing in music-related travel,” O’Neill added. “As importantly, it will also help highlight how music has contributed to America’s culture and history.”
“Music is an economic engine for the American economy, and we are pleased to see this bipartisan legislation become law,” said Elizabeth Matthews, CEO of ASCAP. “Songwriters depend on the royalties they earn from live performances of their work, and the American Music Tourism Act will create important new opportunities for music creators all across the country.”
The House passed S. 195 by voice vote on September 15, as MBW reported last month.
In doing so, it adopted the text approved by the Senate by unanimous consent on May 14, 2025.
The House had already passed its own version, H.R. 617, by voice vote on April 28, 2025, 16 days before the Senate vote.
An earlier Senate version, S. 4212, passed in December 2024 but was never taken up by the House, according to Hickenlooper‘s office.
“Songwriters depend on the royalties they earn from live performances of their work, and the American Music Tourism Act will create important new opportunities for music creators all across the country.”
Elizabeth Matthews, ASCAP
The Congressional Budget Office estimated in February 2025 that implementing the bill would cost less than USD $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period, with any spending subject to the availability of appropriations.
Blackburn‘s office says the music tourism market is forecast to reach USD $11.3 billion in revenue by 2032, citing research firm Future Market Insights.
The Future Market Insights report linked in the release now covers the 2024–2034 period.
It values the global music tourism market at USD $6.44 billion in 2024 and projects it to exceed USD $15.5 billion by 2034.
Harshbarger and Blackburn are also behind the House and Senate versions of the MAIN Event Ticketing Act, which would amend the Better Online Ticket Sales Act of 2016.
Harshbarger‘s bill, H.R. 2713, is co-sponsored by Louisiana Democrat Troy Carter. Blackburn and New Mexico Democrat Ben Ray Luján introduced S. 196 in the Senate in January 2025.
H.R. 2713 cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee by 36 votes to 0 on September 16, as MBW reported.
The House bill would require ticket issuers that own or operate online ticket-sales services to maintain technological controls enforcing their posted purchase limits.
No date has yet been set for a House floor vote.
Trump previously signed the Music Modernization Act into law in October 2018, during his first term.
That law created the Mechanical Licensing Collective, which offers digital services a blanket mechanical license.
NIVA said in September that it was ready to work with the Commerce Department on delivering the Act’s goals once the bill became law.Music Business Worldwide
