Performance Rights Amendment of 1977

Performance Rights Amendment of 1977 - Amends the General Revision of Copyright Law to limit the exclusive right of the owner of copyrights in sound recordings of specified kinds of works to the right to perform publicly all or any part of the actual sounds fixed in such recording.

Stipulates that the exclusive right to perform publicly, by means of a phonorecord, a copyrighted literary, musical, or dramatic work, and to perform publicly a copyrighted sound recording are separate and independent rights under this Act.

Subjects the exclusive performance right in a sound recording to compulsory licensing if phonorecords of such recording have been distributed to the public under the authority of the copyright owner. Sets forth the requirements for obtaining such license.

Establishes the royalty rates or payments for broadcast stations based on gross receipts of advertising sponsors.

Exempts certain broadcast stations and transmitters which publicly perform a copyrighted sound recording from liability for infringement and compulsory licensing requirements if the gross receipts of such stations are less than specified amounts.

Establishes the procedure for the distribution of royalties to persons claiming entitlement to compulsory license fees.

Encourages the copyright owners, performers, and users affected by the procedure for collecting royalties established by this Act to establish a private, nongovernmental entity to assume the collection and distribution functions assigned to the Register of Copyrights.