When a film producer is licensing music for their film, the copyright owner of the music (who could be the composer, songwriter, music publisher, record label, recording artist, or all of these people) usually will retain their performance and broadcast rights and instead assign or license these to a music rights management organisation. This means that when you show the film in Australia you will almost always need a performance licence from OneMusic for the music (or go direct to all of the copyright owners to seek permission). This is the same as when a film is shown on TV - the TV station will usually need a broadcast licence from a music rights management organisation like APRA AMCOS or PPCA or both.

If you play music protected by copyright out loud in a public place for a commercial purpose such as a shop, a gym or a bar you need permission or you need to purchase a music licence. Legally this music use is different to playing music at home or in your car. This is called public performance of music.

Music licence costs depend on your business type, music devices and whether the music is protected by copyright. If you use the radio and you are a small shop the cost will be much, much smaller than if you are running a multi-purpose theatre. 

Your business can legally play music protected by Copyright by getting permission first. Permission can be from OneMusic Australia in the form of a licence for millions of songs in its catalogue, from the artists themselves for every song, through a background music supplier or other means. You need permission or a licence when your stream music in your business.

If you want to play and enjoy the use of virtually any commercially released music from anywhere around the world, you should immediately enter into a OneMusic Australia licence, because using OneMusic Australia’s music without a OneMusic Australia licence can constitute an infringement of our copyright which, if not rectified, may ultimately lead to legal action.

Of course, we will happily talk with you about your music licensing and certainly provide a reasonable time frame for you to take out a licence before escalating the matter any further.

But, if our music continues to be used without permission, then we will be left with no option but to enforce our rights on behalf of our members and affiliates, which could involve court proceedings. Such action may result in the business having to pay the licence fees as well as other damages and legal costs.

Over 95% of businesses and organisations that we deal with are readily compliant.

To purchase a music licence you select only the cover you need for your music devices. Music licence fees start $100 a year. Fees differ by industry, a shop pays a licence fee on its floor space, a nightclub on attendance and a café on seating capacity.

OneMusic does not generally licence individual or group live performers such as bands and DJ's. It is the venue or the event organiser who needs to obtain a licence for public performance.

Performers may still need permission for copying

A performer may require licensing for any reproductions they are considering such as photocopying sheet music, videoing their performance, copying CDs onto a laptop. 

DJ Alliance have signed an agreement with ARIA and AMCOS to cover their physical and digital copies of music. This agreement covers their members starting from 1 July 2019.

Outside this arrangement:

• Reproduction, Domestic Video Licence & Online queries
• ARIA Reproduction Licence queries
• PPCA Webcast licensing queries 
  
  

OneMusic licenses performers who are part of a Community Music Group.