25 March 2026
Is it legal to stream Apple Music in my business? Wondering if you can play Apple Music in your business legally? Discover the considerations of using Apple Music commercially to ensure compliance. Studies prove that music plays a powerful role in shaping customer experience from branding to customer engagement. Whether you run a café, retail store, gym, salon, or medical practice or any commercial enterprise, the right soundtrack has a huge effect on the ambiance of your venue.
This guide explains whether you can use Apple Music in your business and why a OneMusic licence enables Australian businesses to play the music their staff and customers love to hear.
Firstly, businesses need to understand that using Apple Music in a commercial setting, like stores, cafés, dance schools or offices, is likely to be a breach of Apple Music’s Terms and Conditions. You should check Apple Music’s user agreement.
In any case, no matter where you have sourced your music from, or what you have paid for it, if you play copyright-protected music in your business then you will likely need a ‘public performance’ music licence.
OneMusic is not a music supplier, like Apple Music. OneMusic issues ‘public performance’ music licences on behalf of music creators from Australia and all around the world.
Businesses that play music protected by copyright from Apple Music without an appropriate ‘public performance’ licence may be infringing the copyright in that music.
In Australia, the Copyright Act makes it a legal requirement to get permission to play copyright-protected music in a business setting, regardless of what industry you operate in - a retail shop, office, fitness centre, public event etc - or how you play music.
Failing to obtain a music licence or other permission can be costly. Courts have ordered damages significantly higher than the cost of a licence. In one case, a Queensland venue who infringed copyright was ordered to pay costs and damages at more than eight times the cost of the music licence fees.
Copyright law exists to protect creators from losing income from their creative works, so it helps artists continue to create the music we all love.
Acquiring a OneMusic licence is an easy way for businesses to obtain permission to legally play the vast majority of the world’s repertoire of copyright-protected music in their business.
If Apple Music isn’t suitable for commercial use, what are your options?
Businesses can opt to use commercial music services (called Background Music Suppliers) that supply music intended for business use. While some commercial background music suppliers include a ‘public performance’ music licence in their pricing, others require you to obtain a licence separately. Always confirm with your Background Music Supplier whether a separate OneMusic licence is required.
A OneMusic licence would not be required where a Background Music Supplier was only delivering music that:
OneMusic Australia issues ‘public performance’ music licences on behalf of APRA AMCOS and PPCA. Rather than having to negotiate with thousands of individual songwriters, composers, publishers and recording artists, businesses can obtain a single licence that covers the vast majority of the world’s commercially released music including the latest pop hits.
OneMusic is not a music supplier like Apple Music. It does not stream music, but it does provide the legal permission required to play copyright-protected music in public regardless of where that music is sourced. Find out more about OneMusic's work.
The licence fees that a business will pay for a ‘public performance’ music licence will vary depending on certain factors, such as:
To see how licence fees are distributed to creators, visit Where do my fees go?
Every piece of music is created by the work of songwriters, performers, producers, publishers, and record labels and they are entitled to receive income from their music so they can continue making more music.
Music transforms spaces, strengthens brand identity, energises staff and customers. But before you press play on Apple Music in your store, office, restaurant, gym, bar - any business really - you need to make sure your business is properly licensed, or you have permission, for the ‘public performance’ of that music.
To help your business stay compliant, you can obtain a licence through OneMusic.
Firstly, you should be aware that playing music in your business from your personal Apple Music account is a breach of Apple Music Service’s Terms and Conditions.
In any case, no matter where you have sourced your music from, or what you have paid for it, if you play copyright-protected music in your business then you will likely need a ‘public performance’ music licence or other permission.
A ‘public performance’ music licence from OneMusic provides permission to play the vast majority of the world’s repertoire of music in Australian business.
Businesses that play copyright-protected music from Apple Music without an appropriate ‘public performance’ licence or other permission may be infringing the copyright in that music.
Failing to obtain a music licence or securing permission for music use can result in a court ordering payment of significant financial damages that result in costs for a business that are far greater than the original licence fees due.
OneMusic provides a range of music licensing solutions for businesses, covering the right to perform the vast majority of the world’s copyright-protected music in a business or public setting.
Playing music in your business from your personal Apple Music account – whether you are on a free trial with the service or have a paid subscription - is a breach of Apple Music Service’s Terms and Conditions.
Instead of using a personal Apple Music subscription, businesses can:
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Music
Public performance music licensing is where the owners of copyright in music grant permission for others to play their music in a public setting. In practice, music is publicly performed when played at retail stores, public events, like food and wine festivals, and in restaurants and bars, gyms, and dance schools.
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