Music licensing
What you need to play music legally and how the panel helps with play reports.
Playing other people's music to the public needs a licence. That's your responsibility as the station owner, and the rules depend on where you and your listeners are. This page is a starting point, not legal advice.
Who to ask
- Germany: GEMA (authors) and GVL (performers and labels).
- United States: SoundExchange for sound recordings, plus ASCAP, BMI and SESAC for compositions.
- Other countries: your national collecting society, for example PRS/PPL in the UK.
Play reports from the panel
Most societies want a list of what you played and how many people listened. In Statistics → Reports you can download a play history, a SoundExchange usage report and a Music usage (GEMA and others) report.
Your own or free music
If you only play music you own the rights to, or music under a licence that allows broadcasting, you may not need a society licence. Keep proof of the licence for each track.
Was this article helpful?
Still need help?
Our team answers within one business day.
