Music Licensing
UNITED STATES FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES THAT INTERNET STATIONS PAY ROYALTIES!
Musicians should get paid for their music. By law broadcast stations must pay their fees. Below you will find the web sites for each PRO. Next to the web site address is the email for the person in charge of internet streaming for each agency. Please do not bother these people. They are all very kind and interested in our benefit. They are quite busy. In most cases you will not need to contact them as their web presence is sufficient to get you on the air.
2020 Cost List
Sound Exchange mandatory You must pay this PRO
Please read “Licensing 101”
https://www.soundexchange.com/service-provider/commercial-webcaster/
$500.00 per internet stream, paid up front, amount erodes based on listener activity
$0.0018 per performance (non-subscription transmissions)
$0.0024 per performance (subscription transmissions)
$40.00 per internet stream to the Library of Congress one-time mandatory fee, information in “Licensing 101.”
202-559-0555 licenseerelations@soundexchange.com
Reports due every month, on the 15th of the next month.
SESAC non-mandatory
Please check the SESAC repertoire for your music and their artists.
(if you do not play their music, you DO NOT need to pay this PRO)
$690.00 paid in 2 parts, $345.00 each. Second part paid in April.
Follow the directions. Internet streams ARE NOT radio stations, you want to apply for a “Website License.”
SESAC will contact you.
Reports due on SESAC’s schedule, report periods change.
B.M.I. mandatory You must pay this PRO
$381.00 paid up front, amount erodes based on income and listener activity. Erosion rates based on US economic indicators.
Nashville, TN 615-402-2000, New York, NY 212-220-3000 digitalaccount@bmi.com
Reports due every 90 days
A.S.C.A.P. mandatory You must pay this PRO
https://www.ascap.com/music-users
$266.00 paid up front. Total fee, no eroding rates, one fee covers the entire year.
1-800-505-4052 playmusic@ascap.com
No Reporting, fees due yearly.
Mechanical Licensing
A mechanical license is an agreement between a music user and the owner of a copyrighted composition (song), that grants permission to release the song in an audio-only format (interactive audio streams, digital downloads, CDs, vinyl). This permission is also called mechanical rights.
There are many companies that claim they offer internet streams a “mechanical license.” More often than not, this is untrue. Most TOP 40 terrestrial FM or AM radio stations operate on a version of a “DURABLE MUSIC RIGHTS LICENSE.” This form of licensing is legal for internet streams. The stream operator must secure WRITTEN PERMISSION from the music composer and producer. In other words, the band. This only works for original compositions. Songs that are know as “covers” could not be under a durable license if all parties involved in the making of said music do not agree and sign the DURABLE LICENSE.
IF SOMEONE CLAIMS TO BE ABLE TO SELL YOU A MECHANICAL LICENSE,
BEWARE!
KNOW THIS! IF YOU PAY A THIRD PARTY ROYALTY COMPANY YOU ARE LOSING MONEY! Keep track of your own ATH, Royalties as well as Statistics with SecureNet Systems easy control panel. Each month or reporting period is quick and painless. Let us show you how. You will be surprised! Do not throw away money on someone else’s business plan.
Question: Exactly what is the advantage of your stream being part of a licensing “company” on an app with 100 other stations?
Answer: There is no benefit. You can get that from TuneIn.com. If you truly want listeners get your own app and player. A real app, not some HTML5 script. The truth is HTML5 while nice is not “cross operating system compatible”. Many older Samsung brands and LG models do not play HTML5. Older devices and older versions of iOS and Android also do not work well with HTML5. SecureNet Systems will construct a legal app for your station in both the Apple iOs and Google Android environments. This app can be customized for your stream and supports a 256 character push notification system. The SecureNet Systems Desktop player is available in a number of styles and can be easily monetized to get your station earning right away.
SecureNet Systems helps you with ads! Both on the player and the apps, YOU control the ads seen on the player and your apps. You make the money, not some server company. Use banner ads that you sell or use ads provided by SecureNet. This is important if you want to function as a business. Yet, even as a hobby we have a better option!
SecureNetSystems will also help you monetize your website using banners from AdNet. Check out their links at the bottom of each page.
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Royalty Free Programming;
The websites below are a small list of the services we have used for Royalty Free music and programming. Please check each site for the licensing requirements. Remember, any political address or speech is in public domain.
http://www.freeinfosociety.com
http://www.freemusicarchive.org
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Music Resources (free downloads – royalty fees required);
Radio Station Music Services, Independent Labels (PRO licensing and approval required)
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Radio Station Music Service, Major Labels (PRO licensing and approval required)
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