Performance Reports

Yes! There is a Performance Report form specifically designed for DJs to accommodate the large number of tracks they play in a set. Everything else about the Performance Report for DJs form is the same as the standard form. You can still pre-save set lists, add your tracks one-by-one, or easily search for and add works by other artists.

See also: How to get paid as a dance and electronic writer

Yes! Please include any cover songs in your Performance Reports. This ensures the original writer/s get paid live performance royalties, just as you receive those royalties for your own work.  

See also: Performing covers

If you’ve played at a Promoted Event*, the promoter will ask for your setlist and submit it to APRA AMCOS on your behalf. If the promoter doesn’t ask for your setlist, chances are your show falls into the general live performance category, and you can submit a Performance Report yourself in the App or Writer Portal.  
 
*Promoted Events generally include major festivals, international tours and special events. These events are licensed differently to standard venues (bars, clubs, restaurants, etc). 
  
Instead of going into a live performance royalty pool from venues across Australia who host live music, the licence fee for Promoted Events turns directly into royalties for those performing at the event. If in doubt, submit a Performance Report! If you haven’t been asked to provide a setlist, by the Promoter or by an APRA staff member, please submit a Performance Report for these events. This ensures you are paid for all your performances in Australia and New Zealand.

While live performances in public venues in Australia and New Zealand are claimable under the Performance Report system, there are several important exceptions to note.

You cannot claim:

• Private functions: Performances at private functions such as weddings and private parties (even if held in public venues) or nursing homes, hospitals etc., are considered to be private performances in accordance with copyright law. As we cannot issue licences for private performances, we cannot distribute royalties to songs performed at private performances.
   
• Performances at worship services: We do not license religious worship services.
   
• Performances broadcast on the radio or television: Live performances broadcast over the radio or television are not considered live performances as they are a 'broadcast'. We distribute royalties for performances that are broadcast under our normal distribution for TV and radio.
   
• Dramatic Performances, ballets, musicals, operas: If your music is performed in a live stage presentation that has a storyline and more than one narrator or character, or if it's in a ballet, it is considered a performance in ‘dramatic context’. If works have been written specifically for operas, musical plays or pantomimes etc., it is considered a performance of “Dramatico-musical Works” (or ‘grand rights’ performances). Live performance royalties generated by performance in a Dramatic Context or of Dramatico-musical Works are not claimable under the Performance Report system.
   
• Busking: Live performances occurring on or after 1 July 2026 in public places such as streets, shopping centres, parks and transport hubs are not claimable under the Performance Report system.
  
  Contact us for more information.

Once you’ve submitted your Performance Report, it will show at the bottom of the ‘Submissions Overview’ tab of the Portal/App. The submission date is shown, along with the month in which the royalties will be paid. 

Performance Reports marked as ‘Active’ can still be edited - so if you forgot to add the songs from the encore, you still can!

The ones marked as ‘Processed’ have been locked and are being readied for payment. 

The processing of Performance Reports generally takes about six months from the date of entry to when your royalties are paid out.

During this time:

• the reports are checked for veracity,
• all works performed are matched against the work registrations database to identify the composers,
• the composers are connected to their RMO - be that APRA AMCOS or one of our foreign affiliates (or recognised as “non-members”),
• licence fees collected from live performance venues are divided amongst the number of writers to be paid
• and finally the payment for each writer is paid out in the next upcoming quarterly distribution (February, May, August & November).

Are the earnings the same if I play at the corner pub vs a 500-capacity room? 

If you are not performing a Promoted Concert or Event (see above for an explanation), your live performance royalties will be the same if you are playing at a corner pub or a 500-capacity room. 

Let’s explore what determines the live performance royalty amount. 

Each venue (like a bar, club, restaurant, etc) that hosts live music is required by law to purchase a OneMusic licence. 

The cost of the live music licence is based on either the amount the venue pays to musical acts or a percentage of ticket sales.  
All the live music licence fees are collected in a ‘pool’ and the collective amount is distributed across all of the live performance submissions we receive. 

For more information check out our Live Performance distribution information guide. 

Please do! Overseas Performance Reports are submitted almost exactly the same way as domestic performances. 

Simply log into the app or your Writer Portal online, go to the Submissions tab and when creating a New Submission choose ‘Overseas.’ 

For performances that occurred overseas you’ll need to add a few extra details such as whether the shows were one-offs or part of a tour or festival, the promoter information, along with some evidence of the show (such as ticket stubs, social media promotion, or letters from venues). This is particularly important for classical, jazz and art music performances.