Bars, clubs and like businesses will frequently play recorded music as well as hiring live bands. To do so, however, said venues must pay performance rights organizations fees in exchange for the use of their copyrighted material. Here we breakdown how the laws surrounding these sorts of transactions work.
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In this recent piece from MusicThinkTank, Rachelle Wilber delves into the world of PROs, licensing fees, and fee expemptions in an exploration of the how copyright laws affect local venues.
“Playing music without paying a licensing fee puts the offender at risk of being sued for copyright infringement. Damages awarded for not paying licensing fees range from a current minimum of $750 per song infringed upon up to $150,000 per song. Anyone who owns a venue that uses music needs to make sure they are in compliance with music licensing requirements.”