Do you or your business play music in public? If so, that makes you a Music User! Now SAMRO has introduced a new routine which will require businesses, individuals (Djs) who play music in the course of doing business to pay license fees. That means anything that isn’t personal use. This includes businesses like pubs, mobile DJ’s, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, live music venues and places like wedding venues. It also extends to broadcasters such as radio and TV stations who also play music publically.
“We don’t make the rules. It’s all laid out in the Copyright Act and it’s part of South African law. If the music you play isn’t written, created, performed and recorded by you, it belongs to the Music Creator and you need a licence. “ SAMRO explains
SAMRO helps Music Creators by licensing their works and collecting licence fees from Music Users, that’s you! The fees differ depending on what you use the music for. But SAMRO also looks after your needs as a Music User by ensuring that there’s a healthy music industry constantly creating the music that is adding life to your business.
Any venue, business or person that plays background, recorded, broadcast or live music in public, or that makes a copy of a musical work, must get a music usage licence from SAMRO. This includes businesses and people such as the following:
- Radio
- Television broadcasters
- Pubs
- Nightclubs
- Live music venues
- Restaurants
- Shopping malls
- Retail stores
- Cinemas
- Hairdressers
- Spaza shops
- Shebeens
- Car washes
- Mobile DJs
- Trains
- Minibus taxis
- Any other establishment that plays music in public
- Churches
- Schools
- Non-profit organisations
- Community-based organisations
- Concerts
- Music festivals
- Exhibitions
- Any public show that makes use of music
