Not a member yet? Join APRA AMCOS

Already started a Writer Member application? Continue

Tip Published Tuesday 27 May 2025

When it comes to licensing music and collecting fees, which subsequently become royalties for music creators and rightsholders, it is essential to be familiar with OneMusic Australia and its counterpart, OneMusic New Zealand.   
 
We ask OneMusic Australia’s Director, Catherine Giuliano, a bit more about that part of the biz here at APRA AMCOS. 


1. What is OneMusic and who is behind it? 

OneMusic Australia is a joint licensing initiative between APRA AMCOS and PPCA (for recording artists and record labels). It provides a single licence that covers both the musical work (composition and lyrics) and the sound recording (the actual performance) for public performance, broadcast, and communication.

2. How does OneMusic collect money? 

OneMusic collects licence fees from businesses that use our music in public settings—such as retail stores, gyms, cafés, hotels and events like concerts and festivals. These fees are determined by different metrics according to the type of music, for example based on many things like the type of business, how music is used (e.g. background, featured and live, streaming), and the size or capacity of the venue and the number of attendees. Around 100,000 businesses in Australia are licensed through OneMusic.  It doesn’t matter what the source of the music is.  

Businesses playing our music protected by copyright from a radio need permission/a licence. If they have the TV on? Same.  

Same goes for CDs, vinyl, music from a Background Music Supplier... and the most common source of music in business - a digital music streaming service. Permission is required from the copyright owners of music in all these cases and more. 

Anyway, the use of digital music streaming services in a business may be in breach of the terms and conditions of the end user agreement with that service, which is set out for domestic use.  

OneMusic customer Mats Ekstrom from Swensk, a fashion retailer in the Melbourne CBD.

Swensk is a OneMusic customer who have been licensed to play since their opening in 2008. They believe that music brings great value to their storefront. 

“Music is ambiance. It sets the mood of our staff as well as our clients. For us is more of an extension of the different personalities working at Swensk rather than viewing the music as an overarching brand platform.” 

3. How does OneMusic track what music is played? 

Music usage is tracked through a combination of: 

  • Reports from broadcasters, digital music (streaming) services, and live performers
  • Music recognition technology (e.g. Audoo devices)
  • Background Music Suppliers (BMS) data
  • Direct submissions from licensees – like the promoter of a concert, whose obligation is to provide OneMusic with the setlists of performers.

This data is used to determine how royalties are distributed to rights holders. 

4. How are royalties distributed to music creators? 

Royalties are distributed quarterly to APRA AMCOS and PPCA members and their international affiliates. The distribution is based on different kinds of reporting, based on the type of business and its music use.  

  • Census (full usage reports) such as a large live music concert run by a National Event Promoter
  • Sample (partial usage reports) such as use of music recognition technology in nightclubs and retail businesses
  • Analogy (comparable usage data – e.g. from music streaming services - when direct reports aren’t available), such as background music in cafes and shops 

The fees collected by OneMusic go directly to songwriters, composers, publishers, and recording artists as royalties.

Danielle Lamb is just one of thousands of Australian music creators who benefit from public performance licence fees collected by OneMusic. 

“Music plays such an important role in creating the atmosphere businesses need to attract customers and put them in the right mood. It’s a vital sales tool, and like any other business tool, the makers of the music should be paid for their service. Paying a music licensing fee takes care of this," she says. 

5. With so much reach to so many different kinds of businesses, what are three things that members can do to ensure their music is best placed to get used? 

  • Create a non-explicit version of your song! Background music suppliers often have to ‘pass’ on language warning works when preparing playlists for everyday, suburban retailers... and those putting together their own business playlist might ‘pass’ too
  • Submit your Performance Reports!
  • Let us know when you pop into a music-lovin' venue without a OneMusic Proud to Play sticker – we can get them licensed or if they already are - get them waving the OneMusic flag! 
5
Top