Karaoke Forums

I've been a KJ for 22 years have not had to deal with ascap & bmi much in that time. This last Friday I was to start a new gig the owner called and said a lawyer called him and said they were going to sue. On behalf of ascap & bmi they wanted 2400.00 for the year. I told him to make an offer of 500. and that was all he would pay they took it. Is this the way they do business at ascap ect. If so what a rip off.

The general blanket license from ASCAP covers almost everything a bar would need, from the jukebox to karaoke to bands, for a little over $300 a year.

The BMI calculation is done on number of seats in the establishment, but is $347.00 for most places that are not large establishments,

So the REAL yearly number is closer to $675.00 for both blanket licenses.

Now, what you don't know is how long your owner has gone without paying the proper royalties. If he's running a jukebox, live music, and karaoke for the past 3+ years without any licensing, he could very well legitimately owe them $2400.00.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

They were probably going to sue for the years they didn't pay - which they can and have done in the past. A bar must pay if they have any kind of music dj, karaoke, live band, television showing, radio playing, jukebox (although sometimes the jukebox is covered in their lease agreement but doesn't cover anything else in the bar). Even if they have a dance floor or not. So if they haven't been paying if they have any of these things in place, they could be hit for current and past fees. But $2400 breaks down to $6.40 per day, not a huge loss to any business.

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Thanks guys for the feedback on this issue. I don't know if the 2400. was for past sins or not. I didn't realize they could get them for back money. How can they prove it if ascap has not set foot in the place & I know they have not.

They wouldn't sue if they didn't have proof.

Not hard to sopena vendor records if they rented a jukebox, cable company, etc.

Not hard to summon an employee or ex-employee to testify either.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Never thought of that good point they would do that wouldn't they.

Most often than not, if they are doing investigations in the area, they aren't going to say anything so you wouldn't know if they've been there or not. They are just there gathering information on what's going on in the club as far as entertainment, shows & songs played that are in their control.

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