SOCAN is an organization that administers the communication and performing rights of virtually the world's entire repertoire of copyright-protected music, when it is used in Canada. We collect licence fees, then distribute the fees as royalties to our members and affiliated performing rights organizations (PROs) worldwide. We ensure that music creators and publishers get paid for the communication and public performance of their music in Canada. To do this, we collect fees from individuals, businesses and organizations that play music in public, broadcast it, or communicate it by telecommunication. We do what's right for music.

SOCAN is a membership organization governed by a member-elected Board of Directors. It's operated on a day-to-day basis by an Executive Management Committee and staff in five offices. To find out about SOCAN in greater detail, view a "What's Right for Music" PDF brochure.