Musical work covers the music with tune, whether it has lyric or not, and can be in any form such as sound recording, audiovisual, movie or concert. Sound recording includes devices such as CD, VCD, Minidisk, DVD or even computer files such as MP3 or MIDI file.

Whenever the music is heard in the public, the person who made it happen must apply for the licence. For example, those shops that play music through stereo, cable TV programs, and karaoke jukebox as well as playing live music should request permission from the copyright owner. In general, organizers of events at which music is publicly used are responsible for securing licence. However, in many cases there may be a number of parties concerned with “causing music to be heard in public” who would be jointly and severally liable.

A MPC licence is required when sound recordings subject to our control are played in public. By ‘public’ we mean any event except a family or domestic gathering. An event such as an office party, a Christmas disco or a Valentine’s Day dinner dance is public. An example of a private event would be a wedding reception or birthday party. Many people ask, “If it’s my CD, why can’t I play it whenever and wherever I want?” Owning a sound recording does not give them an automatic right to play it in public. Very occasionally, when sound recordings are played solely to raise money for charity, MPC may waive the licence fee. If you think your event falls into this special category, you should mention it when you apply for your licence.

A MPC licence is needed if you play sound recordings in public - whether through a background music system, on CD, via radio/ television broadcasts or otherwise. However, in certain circumstances, a concessionary licence fee may be available for radio/TV use only. If you are in any doubt as to whether you require a MPC licence, please contact us.

MPC usually licenses the occupier of the premises if the sound recordings and the equipment are not rented. If you hire a music system, juke box and/or sound recordings from MPC-licensed operators to provide background music, the operator or supplier should obtain the licence on your behalf. If you are holding any other events such as discos or dance sessions, you yourself may also need an extra licence direct from MPC. In some cases we can also license the organiser of an event. All the people involved have an equal responsibility under copyright law to get a licence. If you have any doubts about who should apply for it, please contact us.

MPC has many different tariffs to reflect the many different ways in which music can be used, from background music in a pub to telephone ‘music on hold’, discos in a club to aerobics and dance tuition. If you are thinking of playing sound recordings in public and would like to know the cost then we can tell you the fee over the telephone. As well as being a legal requirement, it makes financial sense to ensure you are properly licensed. If you play sound recordings in public without a licence, the courts can issue an order to stop you playing sound recordings altogether – as well as making you pay damages and costs. So, contact us if you are in any doubt about your legal obligations. Do not rely on the advice of friends or colleagues. Ask the experts.

A licence from MPC gives the holder a non-exclusive right to publicly perform and/or communicate all sound recordings or music videos protected under the Act and released on any one of the many hundreds of record labels controlled by MPC’s members, but only in accordance with the terms of the individual licence. There are many classes of licences covering a range of uses of sound recordings and music videos. Licence holders must ensure that they are licensed for the appropriate use or uses. Your MPC licence will allow you to play sound recordings in public, under specific terms and conditions according to your particular circumstances.

Please note: It is illegal to copy music from commercial sound recordings onto other media such as mini disc, CD, blank tape, laptop, computer without the necessary permission. A MPC public performance licence is not a licence to re-record. However, in certain specific instances we do grant copying licences, generally to professional music service providers.

To assist licence holders to determine whether the licence covers a particular label, an up-to-date schedule of labels is available on request.