WHAT IS ASCAP? ASCAP is the largest performing rights organization in the world, made up entirely of songwriters and publishers. We distribute over 88% of your license fee to the songwriters, composers and publishers as their primary source of income to keep their music coming to you. ASCAP has the largest musical repertory in the world with over 8.5 million musical works from over 315,000 members and many more writers and publishers from all over the world.
Why do we need permission to perform music? Music is like all personal property; when you want to use it, you need permission. That’s why in order to perform - or play – copyrighted music to the public, you must, by law, obtain proper authorization. Your ASCAP license fully protects you by granting lawful permission to play all ASCAP music.
What does the ASCAP license include? One of the greatest advantages of the ASCAP license is that it gives you the right to perform ALL of the millions of musical works in our repertory with just one license. The ASCAP Banking & Financial Institutions License includes permission for the non- dramatic use of our music in all of your owned or leased corporate facilities open to the general public, including limited and full-service branches and at Automated Teller Machines.
Can you give specific examples? Whether you play music mechanically through CDs, videos, laser discs, DVDs, via satellite, large screen or multiple TVs, a radio over a loudspeaker system, telephone music-on-hold, via Internet or Intranet sites or cable TV systems, your facilities need an ASCAP license.
What happens if I use ASCAP music without permission? If you choose to use another’s copyrighted property without permission, a court can assess damages at a minimum of $750 up to $30,000 for each song “infringed,” and require you to pay attorney’s fees and court costs. As an ASCAP licensee, you are entitled to use any of the music we represent.
Must we sign an ASCAP license? No, you can obtain permission directly from each of the copyright owners whose music you want to play. But ASCAP provides a valuable service to businesses and organizations that use copyrighted music-by helping you easily meet Copyright Law obligations with one simple license. Your ASCAP license fee authorizes you to use any of the millions of songs we represent at all of your licensed facilities.
Who is licensed by ASCAP? We license hundreds of thousands of music users such as retailers, corporations, hotels and motels, shopping malls, restaurants, night- clubs, radio, cable and TV networks and stations, conventions and trade shows, colleges, dance schools, concert promoters, Internet sites and many others who use music to rev-up their business.
What if I have further questions? If you need clarification of any of the terms of the license agreement, or have further questions, contact the ASCAP General Licensing Office at (800) 505-4052.
How is the licensing fee determined? Your fees are determined by the Banks & Other Financial Institutions Rate Schedule as outlined below.
BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS RATE SCHEDULE* (MECHANICAL MUSIC - AUDIO & AUDIO-VISUAL USES)
A total of $100.00 for each premise from 1 to 25 premises; plus $145.00 for each premise from 26 to 250 premises; plus $135.00 for each premise from 251 to 500 premises; plus $125.00 for each premise from 501 to 1,000 premises; plus $115.00 for each premise from 1,001 to 1,750 premises; plus $105.00 for each premise from 1,751 to 2,750 premises; plus $100.00 for each premise in excess of 2,750 premises; with a maximum fee of $300,000.00.
*The annual license fee set forth in this Rate Schedule will apply for the calendar year 2008. Rates for each subsequent calendar years will be adjusted in accordance with the increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers – (CPI-U) between the preceding October and the next preceding October. ASCAP REPRESENTS EVERY KIND OF MUSIC. ASCAP’s repertory includes pop, rock, alternative, country, R&B, rap, hip-hop, Latin, film music, television music, folk, roots, blues, jazz, reggae, gospel, contemporary Christian, new age, theater, cabaret, dance, electronic, symphonic, chamber, choral, band, concert, educa- tional and children’s music — the entire musical spectrum.
ASCAP is home to the greatest names in American music, past and present, as well as thousands of writers in the earli- er stages of their careers. ASCAP members include Irving Berlin, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, Leonard Bernstein, Madonna, Wynton Marsalis, Stephen Sondheim, Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Michael W. Smith, Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Big & Rich, Marc Anthony, the Dixie Chicks, Dave Matthews, Michael Giacchino, Alicia Keys, Henry Mancini - just to name a few.
Among the works in the ASCAP repertory are: “Appalachian Spring,” “Purple Haze,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “How Do I Live,” “Oh Happy Day,” “Beautiful,” “I Swear,” “A Night in Tunisia,” “Moon River,” “Crazy,” “Just the Way You Are,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “My Girl,” “Hello Dolly,” “When Doves Cry,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Not Ready To Make Nice,” “Like A Rock,” “Like A Virgin,” and “Born in the U.S.A.”
Information about specific works and ASCAP members can be obtained in a variety of ways. Separate databases of works in the ASCAP repertory that have been registered with ASCAP since January 1, 1991, or identified in ASCAP’s surveys of per- forme works since January 1, 1978, are available online at the ASCAP Website, www.ascap.com (click on “ACE Title Search”). The ACE database can also be used to determine whether a par- ticular songwriter or composer is a member of ASCAP. The same data contained in the ACE database is also available on a DVD-ROM and can be purchased at a cost of $5.00 by written request to: ASCAP, One Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY 10023, attn: Director of Repertory. More comprehensive records of the titles, dates of U.S. Copyright registration (if any), writers and current publishers or other copyright owners of all known works in the ASCAP repertory are available for public inspection at ASCAP’s offices in New York City during regular business hours. You can also call or write ASCAP for information as to specific works: 866-238-8997 or ASCAP, One Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY 10023, attn: Repertory Dept.-Clearance Section.
2675 Paces Ferry Road, SE, Suite 350 Atlanta, GA 30339 (800) 505-4052 • www.ascap.com