Music copyright explained
Music rights & royalties
Copyright is free and automatic. Copyright is there from the moment you write down or record the song you've created.
The Australian Copyright Act (1968) gives music copyright owners a number of exclusive rights. Nobody else can use the work without getting the owner’s permission first, and if necessary, paying a royalty for this use.
APRA AMCOS represents 2 basic rights that apply to songs and compositions.
Performing right (APRA)
The PERFORMING right is exercised when a song or composition is performed in public.
This includes:
- Played live at a gig, concert or festival
- Broadcast on TV or radio
- Streamed on digital services
- Played in a shop or restaurant
- Viewed on YouTube
- Used in an exercise class
Reproduction right (AMCOS)
The 'Reproduction right' is exercised when a song or composition is copied in any form for commercial purposes.
This includes:
- Third party commercial products (e.g. a record label via CD, vinyl, DVD, cassette, stream, and download)
- Synchronising an existing song with a film or TV programme
- Sheet music
Musical works & sound recordings
To make it a bit more complicated, a recorded song has two forms of copyright. One is for the underlying composition, the other for the recording.
How it all works together
Music rights management organisations
APRA AMCOS is a music rights management organisation. That means we act as a link between those who create and own the copyright in musical works, and those who want to use it.
APRA AMCOS vs. PPCA – what’s the difference?
While APRA AMCOS administers the performing and some of the reproduction rights in songs and compositions, the PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Limited) administers the performing right in ‘sound recordings’ on behalf of record companies and recording artists.
Take the song ‘Friday On My Mind’ by The Easybeats as an example. Harry Vanda and George Young wrote ‘Friday On My Mind’ in 1966. However, in 2008, Ben Lee released a cover version of the song ‘Friday On My Mind,’ as part of a tribute album. So we collected royalties for Harry Vanda and George Young because they wrote the song, while the PPCA collected royalties for Ben Lee’s record label because they released the recording. Learn more about PPCA.
Who's OneMusic
OneMusic Australia is an APRA AMCOS and PPCA joint licensing initiative launched in 2019.
OneMusic Australia offers joint public performance licences so there is no longer any need for separate licence agreements and invoices from PPCA and APRA AMCOS. The new organisation allows music users to more seamlessly meet their copyright obligations for the public performance of musical works, sound recordings and music videos. Learn more about OneMusic.
Want to learn more about music copyright?
We've put together a simple visual explanation of the Story of a Song—from inspiration through to royalty payments and all the work that goes on inbetween. Or visit these organisations for more information: