Cairncross & Hempelmann

Music Licensing 101: The Basics for Hotel & Restaurant Operators

Under federal copyright law, the owner of a music copyright has the exclusive right to “perform the copyrighted work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission.” 17 U.S.C. § 106(6). If you play music in your business, you may be liable for copyright infringement if you do not first obtain a license from the copyright holder or from a performance rights organization.