MLBA Members can get a discount on their music licensing from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC!
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We create music. You harness the power of music to boost your business. ASCAP makes it simple for you to play all the music you want, legally and affordably. Instead of getting permission from thousands of songwriters individually, one ASCAP license lets you play music from hundreds of thousands of ASCAP members. Your license fee goes straight back to our members, so they can keep making the music your customers love.
Members of the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association who sign up for a new ASCAP License will save an additional 10% off of their music license fee! With total discount potential of 25%.
Fill out the form found here: MLBA Discount Contact Form and one of our representatives will work with you to create your license. If you have trouble with the form, please call 844-439-3533 to speak to one of our representatives.
To learn more about ASCAP and the music we license, visit www.ascap.com
Savings of Up To 20% on BMI Fees!
- 5% Discount for Being an MLBA Member
- 5% Discount for Members who Pay Online at www.bmi.com/payments
- 10% Discount – BMI Timely Payment Discount for Paying in Full within 30 Day
What is a Public Performance of Music and What is the Performing Right?
A public performance” of music is defined in the U.S. copyright law to include any music played outside a normal circle of friends and family. Songwriters, composers, and music publishers have the exclusive right to play their music publicly and to authorize others to do so under the copyright law. This is known as the Performing Right”. This right was designed to enable and encourage music creators to continue to create music, much the same way that patents encourage inventors to invent. When you see the words ‘All Rights Reserved” on a movie that you’ve rented or purchased, you know that playing that movie before a public audience is prohibited. The same restrictions apply to music that is purchased, or live musicians that are hired to play in a public setting. Every business or organization must receive permission from the copyright owners of the music they are playing before playing it publicly.
What is BMI?
BMI represents the public performance rights in millions of musical works created and owned by hundreds of thousands of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. BMI negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public.
We Have a License with Another Performing Right Organization. Do We Still Need to License with BMI?
A music license with another performing right organization allows you to perform only copyrighted music represented by that organization. It does not cover public performances of the award-winning music licensed by BMI. This is because each songwriter or composer may belong to only one performing right organization at any given time, so each PRO licenses a unique repertoire of music.
We Purchased Our Own iPod, CDs, and Gaming Software to Play. Isn’t This Our Property to Play Anywhere?
Although most people buy digital audio files, CDs, or games like Guitar Hero thinking they are now their property, there is a distinction in the law between owning a copy of the music and owning the actual songs that are played. When you buy an audio file, software, or CD, even those specifically marketed for business purposes, the purchase price covers only your private listening use, regardless of how they are labeled. Once you decide to play any copyrighted music publicly, you need permission from the copyright owners.
Do We Need a BMI License if We Only Play Original Music?
The term “original music” generally means musical works written by the performing musicians. That doesn’t mean, however, that the musicians are not affiliated with BMI. This is because licensing organizations like BMI are the vehicles through which songwriters and composers are compensated for the public performances of their music. In addition, one of the purposes of BMI is to help foster the development of up-and-coming songwriters, many of whom perform in public areas such as yours. Many times, these performers are asked to play a song known by the general public that was written by someone else to add to the entertainment. This performance also requires permission.
If Musicians are Playing Live Music, Aren’t They Responsible for Public Performance Fees?
Since it’s the organization that’s benefiting by the performance of music, management is responsible for ensuring it is properly licensed. This responsibility cannot be passed on to anyone else even if musicians hired are independent contractors.
Do We Need a License to Use Radios and/Or TVs?
Public performances of radio and TV are specifically addressed in Title 17, Section 110(5)(B) of the U.S. copyright law which states that any food service or drinking establishment that is 3750 square feet or larger, or any other establishment, other than a food service or drinking establishment, that is 2000 square feet or larger, must secure public performance rights for TVs or radios if any of the following conditions apply:
For TV if the business is using any of the following:
- more than four TVs; or
- more than one TV in any one room; or
- if any of the TVs used has a diagonal screen size greater than 55 inches; or
- if any audio portion of the audiovisual performance is communicated by means of more than six loudspeakers, or four loudspeakers in any one room or adjoining outdoor space; or
- if there is any cover charge.
For radio, if the business is using any of the following:
- more than six loudspeakers; or
- more than four loudspeakers in any one room or adjoining outdoor space; or
- if there is any cover charge; or
- music on hold.
BMI
MUSIC THAT WORKS FOR YOU
Call us at (800) 925-8451
Email us from www.bmi.com/email
Visit us on the web at bmi.com/ede
SESAC offers a 10% discount to members of MLBA:
Contact them at 615-320-0055 or [email protected]
Visit their website at: http://www.sesac.com/licensing