Confused about music licensing?
We got you! The information below should help shed some light on it for you.
If I own a health club or studio, am I required to pay a performing rights organization if I use Muscle Mix Music albums?
Muscle Mix Music produces mostly re-engineered versions of popular songs and compiles albums for resale. We pay what’s called a Mechanical Use License to the Music Publisher for this right. This DOES NOT exempt you if you own a health club, yoga studio or gym and want to play music in a public place. You will still need to obtain a Performing Rights License (Laws outside the USA may vary).
What is a "performing rights organization"?
Performing rights organizations, such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC in the USA, are businesses designed to represent songwriters and publishers and their rights to be compensated for having their music performed in public. By securing a license from these organizations, for example, music users (i.e., television and radio stations, auditoriums, restaurants, hotels, theme parks, malls, etc.) can legally play any song in their repertory. Without a license from a performing rights organization, music users are in danger of copyright infringement.
How does ASCAP, BMI and SESAC represent songwriters and publishers?
When a songwriter or publisher affiliates with ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, that organization then represents the right for that music to be played in public. Through agreements with affiliated international societies, they also represent hundreds of thousands of music creators worldwide.
Need to find out more?
ASCAP
One Lincoln Plaza
New York, NY 10023
Tel: (212) 621-6000 Fax: (212) 724-9064
http://www.ascap.com/index.html
BMI
320 West 57th Street
New York, NY
10019-3790
(212) 586-2000
http://bmi.com/
SESAC
55 Music Square East
Nashville, TN 37203
615-320-0055 Fax 615-329-9627
http://sesac.com