There are a few things: 1. Suppose the restaurant owner is not playing music that BMI/ASCAP are authorized to collect royalties on. What gives them the right t

There are a few things: 1. Suppose the restaurant owner is not playing music that BMI/ASCAP are authorized to collect royalties on. What gives them the right to demand it? The answer is a law which effectively assumes the restauranteur is a liar and is playing music illegally. 2. BMI/ASCAP-collected royalties rarely are paid to the artists. Most of those royalties disappear in "operating expenses" and executive bonuses. Few artists ever see a dime. 3. BMI/ASCAP know that their activities are harming businesses and don't care. Their royalty schedules often far exceed what is reasonable and, in many cases, force small businesses to fold entirely. I know several people in this position. 4. Many artists are aware of this and strongly disapprove of it, but are powerless to stop it. Nothing BMI/ASCAP does is justifiable.