The Point Towson’s copyright lawsuit offers a reminder to check your music coverage. and compare alternatives before writing another check.
Restaurant owners already juggle food costs, staffing, rent and the occasional customer who thinks “closing time” is a suggestion. Now, a lawsuit involving The Point Towson has added music licensing to the conversation.
On October 20, ASCAP announced copyright infringement actions against 11 establishments nationwide, including The Point on York Road. ASCAP alleges the businesses played its members’ copyrighted music without authorization despite repeated licensing outreach. Those are allegations, not court findings.
The Torch reached out to ownership of The Point, who declined to comment at this juncture as their attorneys work to determin the validity of the allegations.
For other local restaurant owners, the knee jerk reaction may be to run out to the ASCAP website and purchase a license directly from them. Our takeway:
don’t let a lawsuit headline pressure you into purchasing a license before understanding what you actually need.
Music licensing is a real obligation. But purchasing a standalone ASCAP license is only one way to address it.
For restaurants that primarily want background music during lunch, dinner or happy hour, a commercial streaming service with licensing included may offer a simpler, and potentially less expensive, solution.
One example is Soundtrack, a business music service originally known as Spotify for Business. Its Essential plan is advertised at approximately $37 per month per music zone with annual billing, or $444 annually. Owners should confirm current pricing and plan features before subscribing.
Soundtrack says its U.S. subscriptions include ASCAP, BMI and GMR public-performance licensing for music supplied through its service. That means qualifying background playback can be covered through the subscription rather than a separate direct payment to ASCAP.
Compare that with the approximately $502 minimum annual ASCAP restaurant license reported for 2026. Actual ASCAP charges depend on the establishment’s capacity and music use. An ASCAP license also covers its repertoire, rather than every organization’s catalog.
The comparison deserves attention: one option supplies background music with specified licensing included; the other supplies permission to perform ASCAP music. They serve different needs.
One crucial correction: ordinary Spotify, including Premium, does not permit restaurant playback. Owners need a service expressly authorized for commercial use.
And there’s an equally important catch: a background-music subscription does not automatically cover your Saturday night band, DJ, karaoke event or music played from another source. Those activities may require additional licenses. Soundtrack also identifies exceptions involving admission charges.
Before buying anything, inventory how music reaches your customers. Ask your provider for written confirmation of coverage, including your location and activities. Keep that documentation and make sure employees use the approved service.
If you’ve already received a demand or lawsuit, get legal advice promptly. A new subscription should never be assumed to settle allegations about past performances.
Songwriters deserve compensation. Restaurant owners deserve clear explanations, practical choices and enough information to avoid paying twice for the same covered use.
Our advice to Towson and the Baltimore area restaurant community is to check your coverage, compare your options and buy what your business actually needs. A frightening headline shouldn’t make that decision for you.
For reference
The Point isn’t the first restaurant to face ASCAP’s enforcement campaign—or questions about its approach. In this report from Rockton-Roscoe News, an Illinois pub owner pushes back over licensing costs, repeated contacts and what he describes as a lack of transparency.
Lastly if you want to support The Point in Towson, or just find a great way to get in the Halloween spirit, we highly recommend their“Nightmare Bar”, pop-up themed experience! You won’t find anything else like it locally.
The Point has transformed into The Nightmare Bar for October/Halloween
