Playing music in your store, café, office, or even in your promotional videos can create a more welcoming and engaging experience for customers and visitors. But before you hit play, it's important to understand how music licensing works — and what your business needs to stay compliant.
Why You Might Need a Music License
If you’re playing music in a space where people gather — even in the background — it’s likely considered a public performance under Canadian copyright law. That means you’ll need to pay a licensing fee to use it legally.
This applies whether you're:
- Playing background music in your shop or offices
- Using hold music for phone calls
- Sharing promotional videos with music online
- Hosting events with live or recorded music
Even music streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music are licensed for personal use, not business settings.
Copyright protection period
Copyright lasts for the lifetime of the artist, plus 70 years. After that, the music becomes part of the public domain and can be used freely.
So if you’re using older classical music or vintage recordings, check their copyright status first. You may not need a license at all!
Who Do You Pay?
In Canada, music licensing is handled by two key organizations:
SOCAN: Represents songwriters, composers, and music publishers.
Re:Sound: Represents performing artists and record labels.
To make things simpler, these two organizations have joined forces to create Entandem — a one-stop platform where businesses can apply for and manage music licenses.
Licensing costs & considerations
The cost of a music license depends on:
- The size of your business space (square footage)
- How the music is used (e.g., background vs. live)
- Whether you're charging admission or hosting events
SOCAN and Re:Sound provide online calculators to help estimate your fees:
If you receive an invoice from either organization, be sure to double-check that your business information and usage details are accurate.
Quick Tips for Compliance
- Using a music service? Confirm if they cover licensing (some commercial services like Stingray for Business do).
- Creating your own content? Make sure any music you use in videos or ads is licensed.
- Want to avoid fees? Use royalty-free music or tracks in the public domain.
Playing music in your business helps set the tone and enhances customer experience, but it comes with responsibilities. With the right license, you’re not just staying legal — you’re supporting the artists who make the music you (and your customers) love.
Print Article
Share Article