Music licensing in Germany
Streaming music in your business isn't the same as listening to music at home. When you play music for an audience with a business and commercial purpose, you need different licenses.
Play it right
Soundtrack is built to bring you music that’s legal for your business. In most cases, everything you need is included in your plan. If you charge admission fees, play live music or timing music to exercise classes you may need additional permissions.
Recording rights
Allows you to stream a specific sound recording of a song
Publishing rights
Allows you to stream the original composition
Change the way you play
Soundtrack offers an excellent selection of music because of our direct relationships with publishers, performing rights organizations and record labels. These include Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and more. Our technology accurately tracks your song plays, which ensures that music creators get the right payments from us. Soundtrack Unlimited makes royalty payments about 5 times higher than streaming services for private use.
Music for business
Avoid legal concerns when playing music in your business. Use a suitable music provider (like Soundtrack) and check that you have the correct licenses in place.
Personal music services including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Deezer, are not approved for use in business environments.
Spotify
You can’t broadcast or play Spotify publicly from a business, such as bars, restaurants, schools, stores, salons, dance studios, radio stations, etc. To play in a commercial environment, check out our friends at Soundtrack.
Spotify for public or commercial useYouTube
You may access and use the Service as made available to you, as long as you comply with this Agreement and the law. You may view or listen to Content for your personal, non-commercial use.
YouTube Terms of ServiceDeezer
The use of the Site and Application is only authorized for a personal and private use, therefore any other use, notably in public premises and businesses, is strictly forbidden.
Terms of Use for the Deezer Free ServiceApple
You may use the Services and Content only for personal, noncommercial purposes (except as set forth in the App Store Content section below or as otherwise specified by Apple).
Apple Media Services Terms and ConditionsAmazon Music
You may use the Services only for your personal, non-commercial purposes.
Amazon Music Terms of UseGet licensed
Get your correct business licenses
If you don't have a public performance license from GEMA, please visit their website.
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Music licensing in Germany
Overview When operating a business based in Germany, GEMA aims to collect and distribute royalties throughout Germany on behalf of music authors, composers and publishers. GVL handles neighbouring rights, but royalties are collected by GEMA. History GEMA or Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte, the Society for Musical Performance and Mechanical Reproduction Rights, was formed in 1933. It operates as a collective management organization. With over 6 million members, it is the largest of its kind in Germany, representing over 90,000 composers, lyricists and publishers. The German Organisation for the Management of Neighbouring Rights, or GVL, was established in 1959 and works collaboratively with GEMA where neighbouring rights for public performance are concerned. How to get a license in Germany Licenses last for one calendar year. A variety of tariffs are available to suit the specific use of music within your business. It is possible to make enquiries online for these.
Contact info
GEMA
GVL