Where your licence fee goes

The Path of your OneMusic licence fee:

1. Is collected by OneMusic NZ
2. Is distributed by APRA AMCOS & Recorded Music NZ using verified, real world music use data
3. Supports creators locally and internationally by returning royalties directly to them

This simple flow underpins a royalty system designed to ensure creators are paid accurately and fairly, while striking the balance of accuracy against administrative cost.

Who Collects and Distributes Your Fees

As a joint licensing initiative between APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, OneMusic was created to do the work of collection for these two separate organisations. 
Each organisation has its own distribution policies, reflecting its specific role and commitment to the creators it represents.

• APRA AMCOS represents songwriters, composers, and music publishers. They license the public performance of musical works and distribute royalties to the creators of those songs. See the APRA AMCOS distribution policy here.
• Recorded Music NZ represents recording artists and record labels. They license the public performance of sound recordings and distribute royalties to the people who performed, produced, or invested in those recordings. See the Recorded Music NZ distribution policy here.

Together, APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ enable music creators to be compensated for the public use of their work.

How Your Licence Fee Is Distributed

Your licence fee is not retained by OneMusic. It is passed directly to APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, who then allocate royalties using comprehensive usage data.

The Scale of Data Analysis

Every month, an estimated 330 million lines of combined music-use data are processed across APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ’s reporting activities, drawing on a wide range of sources across the two organisations, including:

• Digital music services
• Background music suppliers
• Radio stations
• Television broadcasters
• Live performance setlists
• Music recognition technologies such as Audoo Audio Meters 

This multi source approach ensures: 
✔ Payments reflect the music played across Aotearoa
✔ Both local and international creators receive fair compensation
✔ Royalties are allocated transparently and in line with each organisation’s policies

Administration and Operational Costs

APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ each deduct their own administration and operational costs to run licensing, data analysis and royalty distribution activities. Information published by both organisations shows that the majority of licence fee revenue is returned to rights holders, with costs kept low by international standards. Further detail is available on their respective websites.

Why These Fees Matter

Your licence fee helps maintain a sustainable and professional music ecosystem. It ensures:

• Creators are paid fairly for their work and investment
• New music continues to be made, recorded, and performed
• Accurate, data driven royalty systems can operate at scale

The people who create the music used every day in New Zealand businesses rely on royalty income to support their livelihoods and continue creating.

Find Out More

You can learn more about distribution policies and how royalties work directly from:

• APRA AMCOS - distribution information and policies
• Recorded Music NZ - distribution information and policies