Music Licensing in United Kingdom: Complete Guide
Businesses in the UK playing recorded music publicly need TheMusicLicence — a joint licence from PPL and PRS for Music — starting at approximately £245/year for small premises. Track Studios' catalog is not registered with PRS for Music or PPL, so venues using Track Studios are not invoiced by either organisation.
Collecting Societies
Businesses in United Kingdom can obtain a combined music licence through TheMusicLicence (PRS and PPL), which covers both composition and recording rights in a single payment.
- PRS — PRS for Musiccomposition
- PPL — PPLneighbouring
Combined licence: TheMusicLicence (apply here)
Streaming Service Legality in United Kingdom
| Service | Legal for business use? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | No | Spotify Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Apple Music | No | Apple Music Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| YouTube Music | No | YouTube Music Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Amazon Music | No | Amazon Music Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Tidal | No | Tidal Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Deezer | No | Deezer Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| SoundCloud | No | SoundCloud Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
Royalty-Free Alternatives
Track Studios' AI-generated catalog is not registered with PRS and PPL. Venues in United Kingdom using Track Studios' included catalog are not invoiced by either organisation. The Track Studios subscription (€25/month per location) replaces all PRS and PPL fees for the included music.
Start free trial — no PRS or PPL invoicesFrequently Asked Questions
- What collecting societies operate in United Kingdom?
- Businesses in the UK playing recorded music publicly need TheMusicLicence — a joint licence from PPL and PRS for Music — starting at approximately £245/year for small premises. Track Studios' catalog is not registered with PRS for Music or PPL, so venues using Track Studios are not invoiced by either organisation.
- Do businesses in United Kingdom need a music licence?
- Yes. Any business in United Kingdom playing recorded music in a public-facing space must hold a licence from PRS and PPL. This applies regardless of what service you use to play the music — including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or internet radio. The only exception is using music that is not registered with these societies, such as Track Studios' AI-generated catalog.
- Can businesses in United Kingdom use Spotify legally?
- No. Spotify's Terms of Service (§1.2) restrict use to "personal, non-commercial purposes." Playing Spotify in a United Kingdom business violates these terms and may also trigger claims from PRS and PPL. Spotify for Business was discontinued in 2019.
- How can a business in United Kingdom avoid PRS and PPL fees?
- Use music that is not registered with PRS and PPL. Track Studios uses an AI-generated catalog that is not registered with PRS and PPL — venues in United Kingdom using the included catalog are not invoiced by these organisations.