What is Entandem Licensing?
Recently, you might have received an invoice from an organization called ‘Entandem’ demanding payment for music licensing for the music you play in your business. This would apply to Canada only.
This might cause some confusion as you have already paid your Socan and RE:Sound fees in the past, or you have a music service that covers those fees for you in your monthly subscription. You might think, is this yet another fee? Fear not, it isn’t. Entandem is a joint venture between RE:SOUND and SOCAN, created to simplify the licensing process so you can play all the music you want in your business legally with one payment instead of two.You may not have to worry about the licensing invoice if you pay for a background music service. Most leading providers cover these licenses, so contact your provider and find out for sure!
How do you know if you have to pay Entandem ?
If you don’t have a background music service provider, then you need to pay your entandem invoice. It’s an annual license that covers the rights to play background music in your business legally.
The fees collected, otherwise known as royalties, are split between Socan and ReSound to be disbursed to the various parties they collect royalties for including composers, writers and performers respectively.
Why should I care about paying Entandem licensing?
The annual license that covers the rights to play background music legally is an important step for any business. Without it, you’re breaking copyright laws which will result in hefty fines for your company if you get caught without one.
Does this mean all your legal obligations are met by paying Entandem? Not necessarily. Depending on the music source you are using, CDs, video, tapes, streaming services like Apple music or Spotify, it may still require you to pay the copyright and publishers owners. You can read our previous post on this to get a full understanding.
How much does an Entandem license cost?
Licenses for using music are determined by the Copyright Board of Canada’s tariff-setting process.
The tariffs differ depending on how you use music in your business.
Background music used to a mood is less expensive than the ones that require music for a dance floor, gyms and live performances. Tariffs will depend on your square footage area and how often you use the music and how many people are in your place of business. Your invoice should clearly outline what kind of tariff is being charged and why.
Can I save money on my Entandem and background music fees?
Yes, you can save money on your entandem (Socan and ReSound) background music fees by using a music service. At Couture Media that is what we do. We work with these organizations so you don’t have to, and depending on the square footage of your business you can save a lot in the process. Get fully licensed now!
