Copyright - using music online

Pre-recorded downloads or streaming

Making music available from your own site means you will need to apply for your own license.  This does not include embedding a video form a third party site like YouTube, which does not require a licence (see above).

There are a few different types of license for using music online depending on: 

• How the music will be used 
• The amount of usage you expect

But we expect that the vast majority of our members will find their needs covered by a Limited Online Music license (LOML).

Livestreaming

If you are going to be hosting a livestream via your own website, then you will need a Small Online Live Concert Licence for ticketed events or a Limited online music licence (LOML) for non-ticketed events. See below for more details on both types of licence. 

Pre-recorded downloads or streaming

There are many sites other than YouTube, SoundCloud or Facebook where you could consider posting your music: be aware that they may not have licensing agreements in place. You should therefore always check the terms of the hosting site with regard to copyright clearance or infringement before uploading. 

Livestreaming

There are currently no licensing arrangements in place with Zoom, Twitter, Periscope or Twitch (although negotiations are ongoing with someof these companies). Therefore, make sure you follow the terms of use and copyright requirements of each respective platform and will most likely need a Small Online Live Concert Licence (see below). 

Pre-recorded downloads or streaming

YouTube, SoundCloud and Facebook have blanket licensing agreements with all major international record labels and music publishing companies, meaning that users of these websites can safely assume that recordings they upload to one of these sites are covered. This includes posting a video to YouTube (for example) and then embedding it you’re your own website. 

There are benefits to sharing your recordings this way rather than hosting directly on your own website and we highly recommend our groups use this method.

• It is the easiest and cheapest way to use music online - the platform (e.g. Facebook) takes care of the licencing and you don’t have to buy your own
• You can embedded videos and recordings from the third party site on your own site (and are still covered by the blanket licences)
• Your recordings are easily and publically accessible
• If you want a recording to be private most platforms have the option of uploading it privately
• Your recordings can be easily shared via social media or email 
• You can create playlists of your recordings.

Livestreaming

Similar to posting pre-recorded music, those wishing to live stream via Facebook Live or YouTube Live should be covered by the respective licensing agreements in place between those platforms and PRS for Music. At the time of writing SoundCloud does not offer live streaming services.