Is OneMusic legal or a scam? Everything you need to know

What is OneMusic?

OneMusic is a joint music licensing initiative between the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA). 

• APRA is a membership organisation for songwriters, composers and music publishers that commenced in 1926 and manages the ‘performing rights’ in the musical works (the written songs) that are owned or controlled by its more than 119,000 members and the members of related societies from all over the world.
• AMCOS has been operating since 1979 managing the copying rights in musical works (the written songs) owned or controlled by its membership and the membership of related societies.
• PPCA is a rights management collective that has been operating since 1969 managing the rights to the musical recordings that are owned or controlled by its licensors, typically artists and record labels.

Prior to OneMusic, APRA AMCOS and PPCA issued separate music licences to business, so in 2019 OneMusic was established to simplify that process and make it easier for businesses and individuals to legally play music at their business, event or venue. 

OneMusic is Australia’s only organisation that issues ‘blanket’ public performance music licences for the purpose of playing in public the vast majority of the world’s repertoire of music. 

OneMusic does not supply music but provides a simple licensing solution for businesses that ‘publicly perform’ music at and in their premises or at events. OneMusic not only gives businesses the ability to legally play the vast majority of the world’s most popular music, it also ensures businesses remain compliant with Australia’s copyright laws when they do so. Even if music is played from a paid digital music streaming service like Spotify or in other ways such as through YouTube, the radio, from a TV or a CD, a business will still need to pay for a music licence for the public performance of that music.

Copyright and ‘public performance’ music licensing

Australian copyright law provides creators of musical works (the written songs), and the owners of the recordings of those songs, with the right to seek permission and payment for the ‘public performance’ and copying of their music. Public performance of music is when music is played outside of a personal and domestic setting, such when a business plays music for its customers or staff, or when music is played at a restaurant, pub or at a concert or festival.

For members of APRA and AMCOS, and the owners of recordings that have signed up with PPCA, permission for the ‘public performance’ and copying of music is achieved through the music licences issued by OneMusic.

Failure to license the ‘public performance’ of music can have serious economic impacts for businesses. In Australia, courts have consistently imposed significant financial penalties on businesses that perform music without the appropriate permissions. Recently, in a music copyright infringement case brought by APRA, a popular South Australian karaoke venue was ordered to pay $136,000 for failure to hold a valid licence for the public performance of music at the venue. This included $70,000 in additional court-ordered damages and $10,000 in legal costs.

Where do music licence fees go?

Is OneMusic legitimate?

Yes, OneMusic is a genuine Australian-based music licensing organisation that has issued hundreds of thousands of ‘public performance’ music licences to businesses, individuals and organisations throughout Australia since 2019.

OneMusic appears on many government registers including the Australian Business Licence and Information Service, Service NSW, Business WA, and the Victorian Small Business Commission.

A OneMusic licence is the go-to for businesses looking to play popular tunes and to remain compliant with Australia’s copyright laws. Whether your business plays music from a digital streaming service, a radio, or a TV, OneMusic is a legal and cost-effective choice for your music licensing needs. 

Do I need a licence?

Why would anyone think OneMusic is a scam?

Common misconceptions about music licensing have led to some business owners being unaware or unsure of their legal obligations. 

Here are some of the main misconceptions and confusions:

• Business owners sometimes believe they have already paid for music through their subscription to a digital streaming service. However, just because a business has paid for a music subscription (or even a CD or download) it doesn’t mean that they can play that music to the public in a commercial environment without a ‘public performance’ licence or other permission. In any case, a close inspection of most digital music services’ terms and conditions will show that the agreement only covers music streaming for personal use, not for playing in a commercial setting.
• Business owners are sometimes unaware that OneMusic acts on behalf of music creators in Australia because they may have only dealt with APRA AMCOS or PPCA in the past. However, since 2019 OneMusic has been authorised by APRA, AMCOS and PPCA to issue licences to businesses on behalf of those organisations.
• Business owners are sometimes suspicious of paying for the playing of music in public when they do not know that it is a separate legal requirement. However, copyright laws in Australia make it very clear that the public playing of music that is protected by copyright requires the permission of the owners of that copyright and, for most, if not all, of the most popular music played on the radio, this permission comes from a OneMusic licence.

OneMusic’s legitimacy is acknowledged by industry associations like the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Australian Hotels Association, and is discussed in the Australian Copyright Council’s fact sheet on Playing Music in Public. 

Any person or business that feels that OneMusic has not conducted itself in an appropriate manner is entitled to lodge a complaint or a dispute, which can be done directly to OneMusic or via the independent dispute resolution service, Resolution Pathways. More information is available at Complaints and Dispute Resolution | OneMusic Australia.

Scams in music licensing

As is made clear above, OneMusic is not a scam. However, we understand businesses may find it confusing to understand how music licensing operates and who are legitimate operators and who is not. 

In Australia, a licence to ‘perform in public’ the vast majority of the worlds’ most popular musical works (the written songs), and recordings of those songs, is issued on a ‘blanket’ basis by OneMusic on behalf of industry organisations APRA, AMCOS and PPCA. 

This means that there are no other organisations that can issue a licence that covers the same extensive range of well-known music that is covered by a OneMusic ‘blanket’ licence.

Of course, there may be organisations that legitimately offer other forms of limited music licensing for businesses, such as ‘royalty free’ music, and the decision to use this type of music is entirely up to each business. However, OneMusic is aware there may be unscrupulous operators that are seeking financial gain by misrepresenting their ability to license the ‘public performance’ of music in Australia. 

So, when dealing with a music licensing company, watch out for the following red flags:

• The organisation does not appear to be based in Australia.
• The organisation is not listed on any government websites.
• There is no contact number, contact form or email to connect directly.

To summarise: OneMusic is a legitimate and reputable organisation tasked with simplifying the process of obtaining a ‘public performance’ music licence for businesses that will enable public performances of the vast majority of the world’s most popular copyright protected music. OneMusic is a vital part of the Australian music industry that protects the rights of music creators, increases awareness as to the benefits of music in business and the importance of music licensing.

 OneMusic FAQs

26 March 2026