Chattanooga’s Southside Social Sued by ASCAP for Alleged Unlicensed Music Play

The popular venue, Southside Social located in Chattanooga, has found itself in legal hot water. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) has decided to sue the restaurant and entertainment site over allegations of playing music without proper licensing.

Failure to Pay License Fees

As per the information shared by ASCAP, Southside Social was formerly licensed by ASCAP. However, they had reportedly ceased paying their licensing fees since 2019. Hence, they have been operating unlicensed for a prolonged duration. The lawsuit, accusing Southside Social of committing three violations, has been lodged with the U.S. District Court’s Eastern District of Tennessee in late June. Each violation represents a song that the company is alleged to have played illegally.

Seeking Statutory Damages

ASCAP is seeking at least $750 in statutory damages for each violation, taking the potential total to as much as $30,000. Music Business Professor John Ouellette of Middle Tennessee State University explains that if willful infringement can be established, then the damages could skyrocket to $150,000 per infringement.

Southside Social Not Alone

Southside Social is not alone in facing ASCAP’s wrath. In fact, the venue is just one of thirteen establishments that ASCAP is currently targeting for lawsuits. When businesses disregard the payment of such licensing fees, this has a direct impact on the creators of the music, the artists, as well as music publishers.

Owner Refrains from Commenting

We extended the opportunity to Southside Social Owner, John Wise, to comment on the lawsuit, yet he indicated that there is currently no plan to make any public comment regarding the matter at hand. It remains to be seen whether this legal tussle would lead to a profound implication on Southside Social or other venues facing similar charges.

Impacting Music Creators Oriented Economies

Unpaid licensing fees, unfortunately, have a domino effect on the music industry. Artists and music publishers are elbowed out of their rightly deserved revenue when fees aren’t paid. The events unfolding around Southside Social in Chattanooga serve as a stark reminder for other establishments of the importance to upholding licensing laws, and for the public, of the real-world implications of music piracy.

Source: HERE News Network

Author: HERE News