In recent months, ASCAP has sued at least two dozen restaurants around the country for copyright infringement. The claims stem from the restaurants’ playing of music without obtaining a license from the performing rights organization.
Recently, Foster’s Restaurant in North Carolina was sued by BMI for illegally playing four songs. This netted BMI a total of $30,450.00. BMI had contacted the restaurant on numerous occasions to sign a licensing contract to allow the restaurant to play music, both recorded and live. The restaurant owner wondered why he had to pay over $6,000 a year to have music play in their restaurant.
While many businesses aren’t aware of these rules, entertainment attorneys say that lawsuits to enforce these licensing requirements are increasingly common, and ASCAP’s senior vice-president has recently been quoted as saying that the recent lawsuits are intended to spread the word that performing such music without permission is a federal offense.