Why do businesses need a licence to play music?
Music in your business is different to listening to music at home. The change in scenery means a change in rights.
Music matters in your business. Play it proud.
See Castaway in conversation with OneMusic. WATCH NOW
OneMusic is the joint licensing initiative between APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, helping businesses get the permissions they need to play music, while supporting the creators behind it.
Music in your business is different to listening to music at home. The change in scenery means a change in rights.
Regardless of industry, all businesses that play music for the benefit of their staff or customers need a licence to play music in a public setting.
In short, yes. The New Zealand Copyright Act (1994) makes it a legal requirement to first seek permission to play music in a commercial setting.
Find the right licence for your business - then calculate your fees monthly or annually based on how you use music.
Hear why licensing matters to the livelihoods of musicians themselves.
Kiwi business owners share why getting licensed is worth every cent.
This short animation breaks down music licensing in simple terms.
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We recently sat down with Arlena Phillips, owner of Beau Skin Clinic in Ōtorohanga, for a relaxed conversation about what really shapes the client experience behind the scenes.Fresh off multiple wins at this year’s NZ Beauty Awards, Arlena shared how her team creates an environment that feels instantly welcoming — and why something as simple as music has become one of the most powerful (and underrated) tools in the room.
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Music
To be fair to the businesses that hold a OneMusic licence, and to the musicians who created and own the music being played, OneMusic runs a compliance programme.
Read moreSimply buying music does not provide the rights to use this music in a commercial or public setting. Music is sold for private/domestic use, so any use of this music by a business or organisation is a public performance that requires licensing. This includes music in all forms, from live music, to digital music services, even talkback radio and sports on TV.
Read moreYour OneMusic licence fee is distributed by APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, who are the companies behind OneMusic. Each organisation has a commitment to their music creators and their own distribution policies.
Read moreContacting an association aligned with your industry is a good way to verify whether your business requires a music licence. Click the logos below to find yours.
You can also reach out to these trusted public information providers, or obtain your own legal advice.
