Does the purchase price of tapes and CDs cover the right to play them in my business?
When you purchase a record, tape or CD, the purchase price covers your private listening rights only. Once you decide to play these in public such as in a restaurant, bar, café or telephone music-on-hold service it becomes an additional performance of the music, which is known as a “public performance.” The copyright owners of musical works have the exclusive right of public performance. Therefore, any public performances by others require permission. That’s where HMS comes in.
