[2] In the years following, courts have interpreted the provision in widely divergent ways, leading to uncertainty for bar and restaurant owners who played music on their premises.

[3] Many restaurant and bar owners also complained about "disruptive" and "coercive" tactics employed by field agents of the PROs investigating unlicensed establishments.

[5] Their legislative attempts were strongly opposed by the PROs, who argued that music played in bars and restaurants draws customers in and songwriters deserve to be compensated for the use of their works in this manner.

[6] Despite the opposition, the bill was ultimately successful, after having been attached as an amendment to the Copyright Term Extension Act, and was signed into law on October 27, 1998.

[7] Shortly after the bill went into effect, the European Communities began dispute proceedings against the United States in front of the World Trade Organization, claiming the new exemption violated the Berne Convention's protection of an author's exclusive public performance right.