We've Got You Covered

When playing or performing music in public, like in your business, you must have the proper rights. Whether it’s a coffee shop, shoe store, medical office, hotel, spa, gym, hair salon, or whatever, a business must have the proper licenses to play music.

The purpose of the United States Copyright Law is to protect the rights of artists, authors, composers and publishers to their work. When anyone plays or performs music in public, or distributes music in any form, they must have the rights to that music. If not, U.S. federal copyright laws call for severe legal and financial penalties.

While these licenses also protect you, they are really designed to protect the artists you know and love so they receive the proper compensation for their work and can continue to write and create the music that entertains the world.

Prior to using music in a business setting, a business must secure several rights.

Master Rights – The right of the actual sound recording, owned by the record label and/or artist. To make a copy of the sound recording, an individual or a business requires a license from the owners.

Mechanical Rights – The right of the author, composer and publisher of the musical composition, the song’s music and lyrics, referred to legally as the “underlying sound recording.” To make a copy of the song, a business needs to secure the mechanical rights from the publisher directly or through The Harry Fox Agency who may be the publisher’s administrator.

Performance Rights – The right to publicly perform a musical composition within a business. A performance includes the use of any form of music player, including but not limited to, an mp3 or CD player or any form of broadcast, such as AM/FM or satellite radio. These rights are either administered directly from the publisher or through performing rights organizations such as ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc) or SESAC.

DMX and Business Music Licensing

DMX understands the intricacies of music licensing. We have negotiated agreements with music publishers and record labels around the world.

Master Rights – DMX has direct licenses with all the major record labels – Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music, EMI and Warner Music – and nearly 5,000 independent record labels.

Mechanical Rights – DMX has direct licenses for the mechanical rights with thousands of catalogs throughout the world as well as with the Harry Fox Agency.

Performance Rights – DMX holds direct licenses with ASCAP, BMI, SoundExchange, SESAC as well as other performance rights organizations.

DMX has partnered with Pandora to provide legal and licensed personalized radio specifically for business use.

Pandora and Personal Use Licensing

Pandora^® internet radio, without a DMX account and media player, is for personal use only. If you’re playing Pandora over loudspeakers at your business for your clients or customers, this is considered commercial use and is not permitted by Pandora’s music licenses, Terms of Use, or U.S. copyright law.

For more information on Pandora’s standard terms please visit: www.pandora.com/legal