AllTrack is a US-based Performing Rights Organization (PRO) that issues simple, worry-free and economically efficient performing rights licenses to businesses for the unlimited use of music that is played on their premises, websites, digital properties and at their events. AllTrack's licenses are issued on behalf of the music creators, songwriters, composers, producers, publishers and copyright holders that have appointed AllTrack as their legal representative for the licensing and collection of their performing rights royalties. The cost of an AllTrack license is typically the lowest industrywide, which is made possible through the operating efficiencies of AllTrack’s modernized proprietary technology platform and the independent nature of the creators that AllTrack represents.

A single AllTrack performance license provides unlimited use blanket protection for a fixed fee, with the convenience of not having to seek out or negotiate license deals with individual music copyright holders.

Obtaining a copyright law compliant music license from AllTrack is fast and easy. Simply contact one of our AllTrack licensing specialists below to assist you with obtaining the proper license for your business or event.

The concepts of investing in culture and encouraging the creation of art were so historically fundamental that protection for the right of authorship was written directly into Article I of the US Constitution. Since then, Copyright Law has been enacted and refined specifically to support the authors of music and any associated music copyright holders.

Under US Copyright Law today, when a song is written or composed, there are several exclusive rights retained by the author, songwriter and/or composer. One of those rights is referred to as the right of "public performance". Essentially, this means that music cannot legally be played at a business or event (with rare exceptions such as music used in live religious proceedings or classrooms), by any method of performance (i.e. streaming, TV, live bands, DJs, background, karaoke, music-on-hold, etc.), without receiving permission from the author, songwriter or composer, or their legally appointed representative (their PRO). Permission to publicly perform music is required in advance of playing the music. Failure to obtain proper advance permission places any business using music at risk of violating US Copyright Law, which can carry statutory penalties of up to $150,000 per song played.

Almost every business uses music in some capacity, however it is unrealistic, and in most cases impossible, for a business to control every song that will be played (performed) on their premises, on their websites and digital properties, and at their hosted events.

AllTrack provides a simple and cost-effective compliance solution in the form of a blanket performance license. By securing an AllTrack license, your business will have the worry-free protection it requires to play all the music in the AllTrack repertory on an unlimited basis, including new song releases that are added daily, without any requirement to track and report which songs are played (for most licenses).

If you would like to review some common examples of music uses that require a performance license, click here.

Generally speaking, whenever music is played in a business setting it is considered a "public performance", irrespective of whether the music is recorded or performed live. Streams, broadcasts, transmissions, retransmissions and any other forms of playing recorded music, as well as live performances, are all considered public performances under Copyright Law.

From a legal perspective, under section § 106 of the U.S. Copyright Act, a "public performance" is defined as the performance of music "at a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of family and its social acquaintances is gathered". A public performance is deemed to have occurred regardless of whether or not the business or event location of the public performance is open to the public.

You can review a list of common music uses that require a performance license here.

New technologies exist today that were not available in the past, including music listening apps, music listening hardware, digital assistants, etc. that make music usage much more easily detectable by creators, publishers, fans and tracking services than in recent years. This has led to a surge of copyright infringement claims against businesses that play unlicensed music.

Businesses that fail to obtain a valid music license in advance of music being played on their premises, websites, digital properties, or at their events, are infringing on Copyright Law and exposing themselves to statutory damages per the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 501(a)) of up $150,000 per song played, plus payment of the copyright holder's attorney fees. This can quickly lead to millions or tens of millions of dollars of financial exposure.

Additionally, due to the materiality of the financial penalties related to violating U.S. Copyright Law, the failure to properly license music is often an event that requires disclosure by a company to its financial statement auditors. This can result in a company being required to disclose the existence of copyright infringements in its audited financial statement notes, or depending on the materiality of the infringements, losing its unqualified audit opinion status, which can trigger a host of unfavorable events with lenders and various other company stakeholders.

If you are a business that plays or uses the music of any songwriters, composers, producers, music publishers or other copyright holders represented by AllTrack, you will need an AllTrack blanket license in advance of playing the music. An AllTrack blanket license provides for the compliant use of all of the music represented by AllTrack, including the latest songs that are added on a daily basis.

The cost of an AllTrack license is a nominal fee, which is the lowest industrywide in almost all cases.

The license fee is a standard rate determined based upon each licensee's industry, by the size of the business or event, and whether the music to be played is recorded, performed live or both. Most of AllTrack's licenses are fixed fee annual blanket licenses that cover unlimited music usage, meaning there is always complete protection and clarity regarding the cost of a license.

Obtaining an AllTrack music license is simple and quick -- and provides the worry free peace of mind that your business or event will be compliant with Copyright Law.

To obtain an AllTrack license or quote, please contact one of our licensing specialists below to assist you with securing the most cost effective license for your business or event.

It isn’t feasible, realistic, or in most cases even possible for you to plan or control which songs will be played (performed) at your business or event, and then contact the various copyright holders individually to negotiate license fees in advance of playing each song. AllTrack provides a simple, fair, and cost-effective solution in the form of a blanket performance license.

By securing an AllTrack blanket performance license, your business or event will have worry-free protection, without any restrictions on the frequency of music use, and in most cases without any requirements to track and report which songs are played. You will also have full visibility into your licensing cost based on the fixed fee structure of our blanket license.