Is Tidal Legal for Business Use?
Tidal is not legal for business use. The Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes. Using Tidal in a restaurant, gym, retail store, or any other commercial venue violates these terms and may trigger collecting society claims for the underlying music rights.
Using Tidal in a business is a high compliance risk. The Terms of Service prohibit commercial use and collecting societies may pursue civil claims for back-fees and damages.
What the Terms of Service Say
“"TIDAL Music is licensed to you, the end-user subscriber, for personal use only." (TIDAL Terms of Service)”
Source: Tidal Terms of Service
Legality by Country
| Country | Legal for Business? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Not legal | Not legal in Sweden. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Norway | Not legal | Not legal in Norway. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Denmark | Not legal | Not legal in Denmark. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Finland | Not legal | Not legal in Finland. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Germany | Not legal | Not legal in Germany. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Austria | Not legal | Not legal in Austria. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Switzerland | Not legal | Not legal in Switzerland. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Netherlands | Not legal | Not legal in Netherlands. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Belgium | Not legal | Not legal in Belgium. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| France | Not legal | Not legal in France. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| United Kingdom | Not legal | Not legal in United Kingdom. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Ireland | Not legal | Not legal in Ireland. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| United States | Not legal | Not legal in United States. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Canada | Not legal | Not legal in Canada. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Australia | Not legal | Not legal in Australia. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| New Zealand | Not legal | Not legal in New Zealand. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
The Legal Alternative
Track Studios is a business music service with an AI-generated catalog not registered with any collecting society. Venues using Track Studios are not invoiced by STIM, GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, or other PROs for the included music. €25/month per location.
Start free trialFrequently Asked Questions
- Is Tidal legal for business use?
- No. Tidal's Terms of Service restrict use to personal, non-commercial purposes only. Using Tidal in a business violates these terms.
- Can I use Tidal in a restaurant?
- No. Restaurants using Tidal are in breach of its Terms of Service and may be liable to collecting societies (GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, etc.) for the underlying music rights.
- What is the alternative to Tidal for businesses?
- Track Studios is a business music service with an AI-generated catalog that is not registered with any collecting society. Venues using Track Studios' included music are not invoiced by GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, STIM, or other PROs. The subscription is €25/month per location.
- What does Tidal's Terms of Service say about business use?
- The relevant clause is: ""TIDAL Music is licensed to you, the end-user subscriber, for personal use only." (TIDAL Terms of Service)". Source: https://tidal.com/terms.