SOCAN is a copyright collective representing more than 80,000 Canadian music creators and publishers and, through our affiliated performing rights organizations (PROs), hundreds of thousands more worldwide. These are the people who create the music that's such an important part of our lives.

If you use music as part of your business or functions, you know that music sells: ideas, services, goods, and a host of other products. Music entertains bar and dance club patrons, your employees, your customers and even people waiting on hold when they call your business on the telephone.

In order to use music as part of your business, you usually need a performing rights licence. SOCAN will grant such a licence, allowing you access to virtually the world's entire repertoire of copyright-protected music for communication and public performance, at rates approved by the Copyright Board of Canada. A SOCAN performing rights licence ensures that the music and the rights of those who create and publish it are respected.

Generally speaking, there are a few main categories of music user industries:

• Telecommunications (radio, television, cinema, internet)
  
• Hospitality (bars, restaurants, dance clubs, private clubs, hotels, karaoke clubs)
  
• Retail (stores, shopping malls)
  
• Recreation (game halls, fitness facilities, private clubs, sports arenas, bowling alleys, sports clubs)
• Concert (live bands or recorded music)
• Workplace (in offices, service establishments, on hold on the telephone)

If you use music in public, you may need to obtain a SOCAN licence and pay the appropriate tariff(s) as set by the Copyright Board.