A national organization that collects royalties for songwriters, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, is suing a Chattanooga establishment for allegedly playing songs represented by the organization without paying for their use.
The lawsuit alleges Southside Social, a Chattanooga bowling alley, restaurant and bar, violated copyright law by not purchasing a license to play music owned by the organization’s more than 960,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. The organization partners with its members to collect performance fees called royalties.
“Under the copyright laws, you’re required to get permission from people to use their music in your business,” Jackson Wagener, the organization’s senior vice president of business and legal affairs, said in a phone call.
The Chattanooga establishment was one of 13 across the country targeted for lawsuits by the New York City-based organization, according to a recent news release.
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https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/jul/10/chattanoogas-southside-social-sued-for-alleged/
