The unauthorized use of popular music has been put under the microscope from a legal standpoint, more now than ever before. If you own a company that plays music within your establishment, you may be subject to significant fines contingent on the size of your business. There are helpful websites that will allow you to determine if you are in violation. Recently, a Tampa Bay area bar was subjected to tens of thousands of dollars in fines because of consistent violations. There is another well know Tampa business that was fined over $90,000 for playing unauthorized music. Unfortunately, for unaware business owners, these are just a couple of many examples of the financial hardships that can occur from not acquiring the proper licenses or subscriptions for the music they play.

ASCAP (THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS) and BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc) are the governing bodies when it comes to enforcing and organizing the laws for the unauthorized use of music. They represent artists with the goal of ensuring they are paid when companies use their music. Music is considered intellectual material and is therefore subject to copyright laws. It’s also how artists make a living, so it’s not something to be taken lightly.

To some business owners, especially those that have been hit with fines, the laws regarding the use of music in the work place are considered unfair. That fact, however, is irrelevant considering the fines and legal fees one could face for violating these laws. 

These laws may seem scary, especially to small business owners simply looking for a background music systems, the good news is, all of this is very avoidable. There are several companies that provide music for commercial establishments. The licensing fees are paid for with your subscription to their service. Here at AV Specialists we use Play Network as our recommended provider. With Play Network you can control the style of music you want. You can mix different styles together and control what percent of each style you hear. You also have the ability to “ban” songs you dislike or may be considered offensive to patrons. With the Play Network system it is possible to set up a schedule to change the style of music as the day progresses and end up with a completely different music style when night time rolls around. 

The price tag is very reasonable. The system and it's targeted content can help to establish a consistent image for your business. With no commercials, you avoid the risk of competitors’ advertisements playing while your clients are visiting your business. Set up for this type of commercial sound system is very easy, call AV Specialists to learn how you can incorporate incredible, risk free music into your establishment today!