Music & Copyright

Audio Licences

If you have added, or are considering adding, to an audio-visual sequence pre-recorded commercial music or your own live recording of music you must have the licenses to do so or obtain appropriate permission.

The IAC have an agreement with the PAGB so are the cheapest and most convenient organisation to help you be compliant. The IAC’s website has plenty of relevant information on copyright and covers this information in much greater detail. See also The IAC Copyright clearance scheme.

For individuals (AV workers, lecturers using copyright music in their talks): You are recommended to get the MCPS and BPI licences – about £8 annually. This allows you to copy the music from media that you own or have personally recorded and embed it in a sequence or video. You will find that these licences are mandatory when entering sequences in recognised competition or for awards adjudication.

There is a third licence for reproducing the music in public: PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd.). It is recommended that clubs showing work have this licence. (This also applies to lecturers who might show their work at unlicenced clubs.) The PPL licence is only a few pence but can only be obtained with membership of The IAC (around £40 for clubs). The venue (or competition/adjudication body) might have its own licence, perhaps through PRS or another scheme – you should check.

There are also royalty free and copyright free audio tracks available which can be free or have a cost attached. These might turn out to be more expensive than the options above.

Audio-visual sequence creators should obtain the MCPS and BPI licences. Clubs (and some lecturers that use AVs in their talks) should also have IAC membership and the PPL licence.