GoFuckYourself.com - Adult Webmaster Forum - View Single Post - KARAOKE DEATH!!! Bar sued for singing copyrighted material

Baal · 09-11-2003, 10:05 AM

Some quotes from the article:

"New York-based BMI is a performance rights organization that collects license fees on behalf of songwriters when their music is played on radio, TV, the Internet, or is performed publicly. "...
""These businesses are using the music to draw in people to eat and drink," he added. "...
"Parrotheads would likely have to pay annual license fees of about $1,000, said Jerry Bailey, a spokesman for BMI."

So this lawsuit, if successful, would make it illegal for bars and clubs to play music w/o paying a $1,000 license fee PER SONG, would make jukeboxes illegal if they don't pay the fees per song, would make playing your stereo loud enought for anyone else to hear illegal w/o paying per song, and would make it illegal to hum or sing a tune w/o paying. These are *all* public performances, after all.

Let's all be happy that stores that play elevator music usually purchase the music from collections that include a license fee. Elevator music for everyone!

Hmm, if I hum a tune in a forest and nobody hears, do I make an infringing sound?

09-11-2003, 10:05 AM
Baal Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: SoCal Posts: 696	Some quotes from the article: "New York-based BMI is a performance rights organization that collects license fees on behalf of songwriters when their music is played on radio, TV, the Internet, or is performed publicly. "... ""These businesses are using the music to draw in people to eat and drink," he added. "... "Parrotheads would likely have to pay annual license fees of about $1,000, said Jerry Bailey, a spokesman for BMI." So this lawsuit, if successful, would make it illegal for bars and clubs to play music w/o paying a $1,000 license fee PER SONG, would make jukeboxes illegal if they don't pay the fees per song, would make playing your stereo loud enought for anyone else to hear illegal w/o paying per song, and would make it illegal to hum or sing a tune w/o paying. These are all public performances, after all. Let's all be happy that stores that play elevator music usually purchase the music from collections that include a license fee. Elevator music for everyone! Hmm, if I hum a tune in a forest and nobody hears, do I make an infringing sound?