What is the right of public performance of sound recordings?

Since 1995, the Copyright Act has offered a limited exclusive right of public performance with regard to sound recordings. This right is limited to where the sound recording is performed by “digital audio transmission.” The purpose of this right is to prevent music subscription services and other interactive services from publicly performing the sound recording (thus, an internet radio site must have a license to perform any sound recording). As this right is limited to digital audio transmission, it does not currently extent to standard radio or television transmissions.