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Music Licensing for Nightclubs

Venues and nightclubs depend on music to set the mood. Many venues and nightclubs build their experience around music choices, whether it’s for dancing or performances. If you’re an owner and/or operator of a venue, or a promoter or event organizer working with a venue, music licensing is key to staying compliant with copyright law.

How to Obtain a Music License for Venues and Nightclubs  

If you’re using music in your venue and nightclub, we’ll help ensure you have the licenses you need for a smooth, compliant experience. Here’s how licensing for venues and nightclubs works:

Who Needs a Music License?  

  • Venue and nightclub owner/operator
  • Concert/event organizers and promoters

Which Licenses Do You Need?  

Depending on how you’re using music, you’ll likely require one or more of the following music licenses:

  • Background Music
  • Comedy and Magic Shows
  • Popular Music Concerts
  • Recorded Music for Dancing

How Much Does a Music License Cost?  

The fees for these licenses are set by the Copyright Board of Canada. We offer different types of RE:SOUND and SOCAN concert licenses, and you only pay for your use of music. Generally, the cost is based on your ticket sales, the size of the space, and the events and activities happening in your venue or nightclub.

Why music licensing matters:  

Getting the right music licenses like RE:SOUND and SOCAN through Entandem is essential. These licenses ensure that music creators are properly recognized and paid for their work. They let you use music legally and ethically, which helps support the music industry. Without them, business owners and operators could face legal trouble for copyright infringement.  

Get Licensed

Frequently Asked Questions

If I’m working with a promoter who is organizing the event in my venue, do I still need a music license?

We understand that hosting an event in your venue or nightclub may require third-party assistance. In this situation, the necessary licenses from Entandem must be obtained by either the venue or the third-party promoter. You may require additional music licenses for other music uses in your space (e.g., background music, in-house DJ, etc.). It’s recommended that you contact Entandem directly to understand how you can ensure proper music licensing compliance.

Do I need both RE:SOUND and SOCAN music licenses for concerts and live performances?

Entandem administers licenses for music performed at live concerts, shows, and festivals on behalf of SOCAN. If recorded music is also used as ambiance, in the background or to complement the live show, then a RE:SOUND music license is also required. You can obtain both RE:SOUND and SOCAN music licenses through Entandem.

I already pay the performers. Why do I have to pay Entandem?

When you pay the performers, you’re covering their performance. Performing music and creating music are two separate types of creative work, and both deserve to be fairly compensated, even in cases where the performers also created the music. More often than not, a song involves multiple creators. Licensing through Entandem ensures that everyone who contributed to the songs performed gets their fair share.

Where does the money from music licenses go?

The money collected from music licenses is paid to the talented music creators behind the music being performed at your show or event. Performers or the event organizers submit music programs and set lists to Entandem. SOCAN then uses this information to distribute royalties to the rightful owners of the songs (whether they are from Canada or other countries).

The songs performed at my show are in the public domain. Do I still need to obtain a music license?

If the songs are played in their original form without any changes, you might not need to report them. Our team will check and confirm and credit events if the music is confirmed to be public domain.