Find out the truth behind common music licensing myths in Australia. Learn how OneMusic works, what a music licence covers, and why your business may need one.
Myth buster 1: Doesn’t my Spotify subscription already cover music use in my business?
No – subscribing to a streaming service (paid or free) or even just turning on the radio doesn’t automatically give you the legal right to play that music in your business.
Firstly, the most popular streaming services that most of us use every day are only for our personal use (take a look at your music streaming service’s Terms of Use to see this in play).
More importantly, to play music that is protected by copyright ‘in public’ (that is, in your business), you need to get permission from the owners of that music copyright.
When your business has a OneMusic licence, you have the right to play the vast majority of popular and well-recognised music from around the world.
Where do music licence fees go?
Myth buster 2: Is OneMusic a scam?
No – OneMusic is a genuine music licensing organisation that has issued hundreds of thousands of ‘public performance’ music licences to businesses, individuals and organisations throughout Australia since 2019.
You can easily confirm OneMusic’s legitimacy by checking with various official websites, such as The Australian Business Licence and Information Service and the Australian Copyright Council.
Myth buster 3: Do music creators really get paid?
Yes – music creators, including songwriters, composers and recording artists rely on income generated from royalties to keep on creating songs and playing music.
All money generated from OneMusic licences goes back to music creators as ‘royalties’, minus administration costs.
Myth Buster 4: “I don’t need a music licence if the music is royalty free”
Is royalty-free music really free?
Not always – it is sometimes the case that music that is marketed as ‘royalty-free’ still needs permission or a licence before it can be played ‘in public’.
Even if the music is free to use, the song itself or the recording of that song might still be protected by copyright and playing that in your business without a licence can be a breach of copyright law.
Also, while you may think that ‘royalty-free’ is a cost saving, finding high quality licence-free music that fits your venue can take a lot of time, and your options will likely be limited.
Alternatives to OneMusic
Myth buster 5: “Musicians don’t get any royalties from OneMusic licences”
‘Royalties’ are what is paid to music creators when their copyright-protected music is used, particularly by other people. For instance, by radio stations, on TV or when played ‘in public’ by a business.
OneMusic keeps track of the music being played in a huge database that has been collected from music users across Australia, including from radio stations, TV broadcasts, music streaming services and live performances.
OneMusic then pays APRA AMCOS and PPCA the licence fees it collects so that they can pay ‘royalties’ to help music creators continue their work.
Myth buster 6: “Nothing will happen if I don’t get a OneMusic licence”
What happens if a business doesn’t pay for a music licence? Playing music that is protected by copyright in a business without permission may be an infringement of copyright, which may lead to legal action and significant costs.
A court proceeding can result in your business having to pay, not only the licence fees that would have applied, but additional costs such as ‘damages’ and legal fees.
What is public performance?
Myth buster 7: “My business doesn’t need a music licence”
Music licensing is what gives a business permission from the owners of the music (such as, the songwriter, or recording artist) to play that music work ‘in public’, for instance in a store or at an event.
In general, business owners need to license the playing of most commercially available music in their bars, restaurants, cafes, retail stores and events (like food and wine festivals) because usually that music is protected by copyright and those businesses are playing it ‘in public’.
All industries from radio and digital streaming services to hospitality, retail and fitness benefit from music licensing, as it allows them to play the music they want any time without worrying about whether they are breaching copyright in that music. Find out more about licence types.
Myth buster 8: “I don’t need a music licence to play classical music”
Do I need a music licence if I’m playing classical music in my business?
If you’re planning on adding a touch of classical music to your retail store, restaurant, or place of business, it’s important to keep in mind that even really old music from people like Beethoven or Mozart is sometimes still protected by copyright and so may need a licence when played ‘ in public’.
It is the case that the music of 18th century classical composers is no longer protected by copyright, but copyright can still apply for new recordings of those old compositions. Copyright would also still apply when old music from the classical period is reworked into a modern version, or when ‘classical’ music is created by a modern composer.
Do I need a licence?
Myth buster 9: “I don’t play music to the public, I only play it for myself and staff”
What’s a public performance licence?
Under Australia’s copyright law, music that is protected by copyright can’t be played ‘in public’ without first getting permission from the copyright owner.
For a restaurant or cafe, playing music ‘in public’ includes playing music for customers, but also if playing it just for staff. In a gym, playing music ‘in public’ includes playing it to the gym’s members.
Generally, unless you are playing music for your own ‘personal and domestic’ use, such as at home or in the car, when a business plays music that is protected by copyright, it is playing that music ‘in public’ and therefore needs permission.
A ‘public performance licence’, such as is available from OneMusic, is a type of music licence that provides legal permission for business owners to play the vast majority of commercially available music ‘in public’, including for their customers, their members, their staff or ticket holders to their events.
Myth buster 10: “I don’t need OneMusic, they don’t supply the music I play”
OneMusic is not a music supplier, it is a business that issues music licences on behalf of music creators from Australia and all around the world.
Music creators from around the world give music rights management organisations, like APRA AMCOS and PPCA, the rights they have in their music so that they can get paid ‘royalties’ from businesses that want to use that music.
To make music licensing even easier for business and to ensure they can play music without having to get permission from each individual music creator, APRA AMCOS and PPCA started OneMusic, which is a ‘one stop shop’ that gives businesses permission to play the vast majority of the world’s repertoire of music for a simple one off or annual fee.
Head to the OneMusic website for more information, or find the cover for your business.
