1. Music Licences
  2. Music On Hold

Music On Hold

Music can be an extremely valuable business tool to entertain customers when waiting on hold. It can be used to strengthen your brand and can help to reduce perceived wait times.


To add Music on Hold to your Music Cover, click 'GET A LICENCE' and select the Industry and Business Type dropdowns that best suit your premises. 

GET A LICENCE

The OneMusic Music On Hold Licence gives businesses and organisations the permission they need to use essentially all commercially released music on hold from here and around the world, while helping to ensure that music creators are compensated for the use of their work.

VIEW OUR FACT SHEET


If you’d prefer to set up your Music Licence via pdf, please download via the link below, complete and return to: [email protected]

Download a Workplace & Music On Hold Music Licence Agreement
 

Why does my business need a music licence?

Under New Zealand law you need permission from music creators to use their music in your business. 

This permission is required regardless of how you play music – whether you play the radio, TV, CDs, or use digital music services such as Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube. Simply buying music or paying for a subscription service does not give you the permission you need to play music in a business setting. Your OneMusic licence gives you permission to play essentially all commercially released music from here and around the world. 

All businesses that play music, from cafes, bars and nightclubs to retail stores, gyms, hairdressers and pharmacies, need permission from music creators to play their music.

I have paid for the music I play, so why do I need a licence?

Simply 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.

Is holding a licence a legal requirement?

Yes it is. The Copyright Act clearly establishes these public performance rights. The Copyright Act also outlines the penalties for anyone in breach of the Act.

Who is OneMusic?

OneMusic is a joint licensing initiative between APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ. Many music creators around the world earn an income by granting organisations, like ours, the right to collect and pay their royalties.

OneMusic simplifies the licensing process and allows music users to meet their copyright obligations to play our music in their business.

Where does the money go?

When you hear about music royalties, that’s what we do.

Your 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.

Every month over 330 million lines of music data is analysed from digital music services, background music suppliers, radio stations, television stations, live performers and more. After minimal administration costs all money collected is paid to our local and international music creators – songwriters, composers, publishers, recording artists and record labels.

Find out more from APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ.

Who can verify that I need a OneMusic licence?

Find out more about why you need a licence and the authenticity of our rights from other industry and government bodies and New Zealand associations.

I already pay for a digital music service. Why do I need a Digital Delivery Music Licence?

The OneMusic licence covers you for the use of our music in your business regardless of the source – whether it’s from radio, CDs, or a digital music service.

You should be aware that a OneMusic licence, even when it includes Digital Delivery only gives you permission to use our music in your business. It does not override the Terms of Use for the personal digital music service, nor does it give you permission to use that particular digital music service for a commercial purpose – that permission can only come from the owners of that digital music service.

Even with our licence, the use of digital music services by you in your business may be in breach of the terms and conditions of your end user agreement with that service. You should check with your service provider.

 

Want to know more? Read the full FAQs here, or call us on 0800 800 663 - we're here to help.