Music licensing for bars in Washington, DC.
DC has one of the densest political-bar economies in the country, plus an active live music scene from H Street to U Street to The Wharf. ABCA hearings are public record — PRO field reps watch them.
What would a Washington bar pay?
Enter your venue capacity. We'll estimate the monthly cost across all six PROs.
What Washington bar owners are facing
Six Performing Rights Organizations. Six bills. Six portals. Six chances to get sued. The math doesn't care which city you're in.
A 200-cap bar in the Northeast received a five-figure ASCAP demand letter in 2023 for unlicensed background music — the kind that runs through every Spotify playlist in town.
Statutory damages: up to $150,000 per song. Performing Rights Organization win rate in court: virtually 100%.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Quotes in January, pays by March
Broadcast Music, Inc.
Quotes in April, pays by June
Society of European Stage Authors and Composers
Invite-only, negotiated rates
Global Music Rights
Direct negotiation only
Independent performing rights organization
Newer entrant, direct licensing
Independent performing rights organization
Newer entrant, direct licensing
Plus your District of Columbia on-premises liquor license is regulated by the DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) — and PRO field reps cross-reference those records.
Why bars in District of Columbia use Harmonis
Whether you're a Washington neighborhood spot or a multi-location operator, the playbook is the same: one quote, one signature, one regular bill.
One quote, all six PROs
Tell us about your venue — capacity, music type, hours. We calculate exact fees across ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR, AllTrack, and Pro Music Rights for Washington venues like yours.
We pay the PROs in full
We cut the checks to all six PROs the day you sign. You stop hearing from them. Your District of Columbia license file stays clean.
One regular payment — weekly or monthly
Predictable, automatic — weekly or monthly. Quarterly plan available. We handle renewals, certificates, and any PRO follow-ups for the life of your account.
What District of Columbia operators say
I was paying six different organizations on six different schedules and still got a cease-and-desist because I missed a renewal. Harmonis took over everything in one afternoon. Haven’t thought about it since.
Bar owner, District of Columbia
150-cap restaurant & bar
My GM didn’t even know SESAC existed. We’d been paying ASCAP and BMI for years and figured we were covered. We weren’t.
Operator, District of Columbia
Two-location restaurant group
The annual lump sums were killing my January cash flow. One regular payment is what I’d been begging the PROs for since I opened.
Owner, District of Columbia
200-cap neighborhood bar
Ready to lock in Washington compliance?
Get a quote in minutes, or run a free risk check first to see exactly where you stand.
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