info@couturemedia.ca
1 888 969 0151
info@couturemedia.ca
1 888 969 0151
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Frequently Asked Questions
Music Licensing & Entandem
What is Entandem and do I need to pay them?
Entandem is Canada’s music licensing collective, formed by the merger of SOCAN and Re:Sound into a single organization. If your business plays music — in a restaurant, retail store, hotel, spa, office, or any public-facing space — you are legally required to hold a music licence in Canada. Entandem now handles both performing rights and neighbouring rights under one roof, simplifying what was previously a two-invoice process.
How much do Entandem fees cost?
Entandem fees vary based on your business type, size, seating capacity, and how music is used in your space. A small café might pay a few hundred dollars annually while a multi-location chain can pay significantly more. The fees are calculated on a tariff schedule and are non-negotiable.
See “How much does background music license cost in Canada” section for more detail.s
How much does a background music licence cost in Canada?
Playing background music in a commercial space requires two separate annual licences — one from SOCAN (covering composers and songwriters) and one from Re:Sound (covering performers and record labels). Both are mandatory under Canada’s Copyright Act and are set by the Copyright Board of Canada.
Fees are calculated based on the square footage of your publicly accessible space, making every location unique.
Example: 2,200 sq ft restaurant or retail space:
SOCAN Tariff 15.A
Covering composers & publishers. Tariff 15.A — Background Music $0.2158 / sq ft / year
$395.62
Re:Sound Tariff 3.B
Covering performers & record labels.
$217.18
Combined annual licence
2,200 sq ft space — approx. $51.07/month
$612.80
* One payment, both covered. Since 2019, SOCAN and Re:Sound have operated a joint licensing venture called Entandem.
With Couture Media, licensing is just the starting point — our subscription includes all of this and more.
- Entandem fees covered — one less thing to manage
- Schedule your music by time of day, day of week, or season
- Explicit content filter blocks expletives automatically
- 1,000+ ready-made playlists built for business environments
What happens if I play unlicensed music in my business?
Playing music in a commercial space without the proper licences exposes your business to compliance action from Entandem. This can result in back-payment demands and penalties. Using a properly licensed service like Couture Media eliminates this risk entirely.
By playing unlicensed music in your business, you are open to any of the following:
Entandem enforcement
SOCAN and Re:Sound jointly operate Entandem, which actively identifies non-compliant businesses. This can result in demands for back-payment of unpaid royalties — sometimes covering multiple years.
Lawsuits from rights holders
Copyright owners — record companies, music publishers, songwriters, and artists — each have the right to pursue your business directly in court for unauthorized use of their work.
Penalties and damages
Courts can award statutory damages per infringement. With dozens of songs played daily, the cumulative exposure can be significant — far exceeding the cost of a proper licence.
Business disruption
Legal action, cease and desist orders, and compliance demands create operational and reputational pressure that no small or mid-sized business needs.
The cost of a proper commercial music licence is modest compared to any one of these outcomes. And if you’re already paying for a consumer streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music to play in your space, you’re paying for something you’re not legally permitted to use — while still being fully exposed.
Does Couture Media's service cover my Entandem fees?
Yes — this is one of the most important advantages of using a properly licensed music service like Couture Media. Our service through Soundtrack Your Brand includes all necessary music licences for your Canadian locations, covering both performing rights and neighbouring rights. You do not receive a separate Entandem invoice for music played through our platform. Many clients find that their Couture Media subscription costs less than their annual Entandem fees alone — with the added benefit of 100M+ songs, curated playlists, and simple app-based control.
Do I need a separate licence if I already pay a background music service?
It depends on how you use music in your space.
Using music for more than background ambience? Background music licences only cover ambient use in your space. If your business also hosts dancing, fitness classes, or live band entertainment, those activities require separate licences — they fall under different SOCAN and Re:Sound tariffs and are paid independently of your background music licence. Check out Entandem to determine which additional licenses may apply to your specific situation.
Is it legal to play Spotify in my restaurant, store, or business?
Spotify is licensed strictly for personal, non-commercial use. When you play music through Spotify in your business, even through a paid subscription, you are broadcasting copyrighted content to the public without the appropriate licences — which is a separate legal issue on top of the ToS violation.
Spotify’s own support page states this explicitly, calling out bars, restaurants, schools, stores, salons, dance studios, and radio stations as examples of prohibited use. The legal basis is Section 3 of their Terms of Use:
Spotify Terms of Use — Section 3: Your Use of the Spotify Service
"Spotify grants you limited, non-exclusive, revocable permission to make personal, non-commercial use of the Spotify Service."
Source: spotify.com/legal/end-user-agreement — Section 3 · Spotify support: Spotify for public or commercial use
What's the difference between SOCAN and Re:Sound?
When you play recorded music in your business, two separate groups of people have rights to be compensated — and two separate Canadian organizations are authorized to collect on their behalf. They are completely independent of each other, and both fees are mandatory.
Think of it this way: when a song is recorded, two separate copyrights are created — one for the composition (SOCAN) and one for the recording itself (Re:Sound). Playing that recording in your business triggers both. This is why businesses require two licences, not one.
Since 2019, both organizations have operated a joint licensing venture called Entandem, which allows you to obtain and pay for both licences in a single transaction — simplifying the process considerably.
Socan
Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
- Represents songwriters, composers, and music publishers
- Collects royalties for the underlying musical work — the song itself
- Applies whether music is performed live or played from a recording.
Re:sound
Music Licensing Company (formerly NRCC)
- Represents recording artists and record labels
- Collects royalties for the recorded performance — the specific version of the song
- Only applies when a sound recording is played, not live music
Can I use Couture Media's music for online streaming or social media?
No — our service covers music for physical business locations only. Playing music in your space for customers is covered. Broadcasting online, using music in social media videos, or streaming digitally requires a different set of licences. For those use cases, a royalty-free music provider would be more appropriate.
Are my international locations covered?
The Couture Media Music Service
Do I need to purchase any equipment?
No equipment purchase is required to get started. Soundtrack is an app that runs on any smartphone, tablet, Mac, or PC — simply connect your existing device to your audio system and you’re up and running. Soundtrack also runs on Sonos and WiiM speakers.
For businesses that want a dedicated, always-on solution, we offer the Soundtrack Player — a compact hardware device that syncs with your account, downloads music in the background, and keeps playing even if your internet connection drops. It’s ideal for businesses that want reliable, uninterrupted playback without tying up a staff device.
How many songs are available?
Over 125 million fully licensed songs across every genre — curated specifically for business environments. Every track is cleared for commercial use so you never have to worry about compliance.
Can I customize my playlists?
Absolutely. You can choose from over 2000 of pre-curated playlists built for specific business types, moods, and dayparts. Or create and manage your own playlists directly in the platform, with full control over what plays in your space. Or work with our team to build fully custom playlists that match your brand identity and atmosphere.
Scheduling is built in — you can program different music for different times of day, days of the week, or seasons. For multi-location businesses, scheduling can be managed independently per location, giving each space its own sound while keeping everything under one account.
How do I control the music?
Everything is managed through the Soundtrack app — available on iOS, Android, and desktop. Your team can adjust volume, skip tracks, and switch playlists from any device. For multi-location businesses, head office can manage all locations centrally while allowing individual locations a defined level of control.
Is there a free trial?
Yes — we offer a 30-day free trial with no credit card required and no long-term commitment. Cancel anytime.
Is there a contract?
No long-term contract is required. Our service runs on a simple monthly subscription. You can cancel at any time.
Commercial Audio Installations FAQ
Do you offer audio system installation?
Yes — we design and install commercial audio systems across Canada for restaurants, retail stores, hotels, cafés, spas, offices, and franchises. From a single-location setup to a national multi-site rollout, we handle design, equipment supply, installation, and ongoing support.
What does a typical installation include?
Every installation is custom-designed for the space. A typical project includes acoustic assessment, speaker and amplifier selection, multi-zone design, professional installation, system configuration, and staff training. We work with your construction team, IT department, or property manager as needed.
Do you do franchise and multi-location rollouts?
How do I get a quote for an installation?
Contact us through our website or call 1-888-969-0151. We’ll arrange a free consultation and site assessment to scope your project and provide a detailed quote.
Proposez-vous une installation de Sonos par téléphone ?
Sonos for Business FAQ
Do you sell and install Sonos systems for commercial use?
Yes — we are an authorized Sonos partner and offer Sonos hardware, professional installation, and ongoing support for commercial environments. Sonos for Business is ideal for restaurants, retail stores, cafés, and offices that want a clean, expandable, app-controlled wireless audio system.
Can Sonos be integrated with Couture Media's music service?
Can I get a quote for Sonos?
Yes — contact us for custom hardware and installation pricing. We’ll assess your space and recommend the right Sonos configuration.
Still have questions?
Our team is available Monday to Friday. Call us at 1-888-969-0151, email info@couturemedia.ca, or use the contact form below.