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Music Licensing for Restaurants and Bars

Music can make or break the success of your business. As a restaurant or bar owner, you need essential licenses to operate legally, including a music license. Music creators deserve to be paid fairly so they can keep making great music. By working with Entandem, you can focus on running your business while we handle all the music licensing for you. 

How to Obtain a Music License for Your Bar or Restaurant 

If you use music in your establishment, we’ll make sure you have the right license(s) you need to build an atmosphere that keeps your patrons coming back. Here’s how music licensing in Canada for bars and restaurants works:   

Who Needs a Music License? 

  • Places that serve food and drinks where music is played. 
  • Places that serve food and drinks where entertainment is hosted. 

Which Licenses Do You Need?  

Depending on how you’re using music in your establishment, you may need one or more of the following music licenses:   

  • Background Music 
  • Live Music 
  • Recorded Music for Dancing  
  • Karaoke 
  • DJs 

How Much Does a Music License Cost? 

The fees for these licenses are set by the Copyright Board of Canada. We offer various RE:SOUND and SOCAN licenses for bars and restaurants, and you only pay for the music you use or that is performed. The cost is usually based on the size of your space and whether you have extra features like DJs or live music. 

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

Do I need a music license if I use a digital streaming service in my business?

Yes, you usually do. Personal subscriptions to streaming services are meant for individual use only. If you play music from a streaming service in a public or commercial setting, you’ll need public performance licenses. We can help you figure out which RE:SOUND and SOCAN licenses are right for your business, event, or organization based on your music usage.

I play AM/FM radio in my business. Do I still need a music license?

No, you don’t need a separate music license for playing AM/FM radio in your business.   

If I don’t use Canadian-made music, do I still have to get a music license?

Yes. Entandem administers public performance licenses on behalf of RE:SOUND and SOCAN, each of which represents the public performance rights in virtually all copyright-protected music used in Canada, not just Canadian-made music. Royalties collected by each organization for performances in Canada of music made by non-Canadians are distributed to their creators through reciprocal agreements each organization (or in RE:SOUND’S case, its member organizations) has with affiliated societies around the world.

I pay the performers for my live band or the DJ. If I am paying them, why do I need to pay for a RE:SOUND and SOCAN music license through Entandem?

When you hire a band or a DJ, you’re paying for their services as performing artists, but not for the performance/communication of the music in your establishment, that is, not for the people who created the music being performed. Performing music and creating music are two separate types of creative work, and each deserves fair compensation, even in cases where the performers are also the creators of the music.

What additional licenses should be considered for live performances in my establishment?

Live performances often include recorded music and background tunes between sets. Both deserve fair compensation to support the musicians and creators of the music your patrons enjoy.