A "public performance of music is defined in U.S. copyright law to include any music played outside a normal circle of friends and family. Songwriters, composers, and music publishers have the exclusive right to play their music publicly and to authorize others to do so under copyright law. This is known as the "Performing Right." This right was designed to enable and encourage music creators to continue to create music, much the same way that patents encourage inventors to invent. Every business or organization is required by law to obtain permission from the copyright owners of the music they are playing before playing it publicly – either directly from the songwriters/publishers or via a blanket license through performing right organizations like BMI.