That’s sadly the case if you want to play recognisable music and not the “elevator” genre of anodyne gloop that passes for music on your telephone system while your eager clients are clamouring to speak to one of your customer relation operatives.

And none other than Ricky Ross from Scotland’s very own Deacon Blue, is just the man to consult on this heady matter. 

Scottish and Southern Electricity (SSE – yes, they who sponsor Glasgow’s concert venue the Hydro) seemed to think that it was a wizard idea to bore their long-suffering telephone customers with one of Deacon Blue’s anthemic compositions, “Dignity”, played on a seemingly never ending loop.

The only problem with this is that according to Mr Ross, SSE’s  claim that they have the right to play this song (causing listeners to lose both their will to live, and any previous enthusiasm for the song) because they have a PRS for music licence, is false.  SSE may well have the necessary licences, but it appears that they may not have the permission from Mr Ross, the author of the song. 

For reference the appropriate PRS tariff is MH – Music on Hold, costing £134.00 per annum (for up to 5 telephone lines).

But wait, it doesn’t end there – not only is a PRS licence required – that only covers the composition of the song (lyrics and notation), but, as many business owners find to their cost (literally) a PPL licence is also required.  This licence, issued by the licensing agency with the most out-of-date name – Phonographic Performance Limited, applies to the sound recording of the songs used on the music on hold system.  The PPL licence, again, for up to 5 lines, will cost £169.99 per annum.

Therefore, for a small business, with just one telephone line the combined cost of entertaining their patient callers is £303 per annum- and of course that’s subject to VAT, adding another  £60 to the bill.

And woe betide anyone who is found to have been unlicensed for some time.  PRS will add a further 50% “Higher Rate” charge to the bill if they discover that this is the case.

Whatever use you make of music in your business and wherever it is played, there is a likelihood that you will require licences from both PRS for Music and PPL.  There is the hopeful belief held by many businesses that if  “it’s only a radio” being played, then all is fine.  Sorry, that’s not the case – if the music can be heard by the “public” – and that include your employees, then you need both licences.

Neither of the licensing organisations is slow at coming forward and will regularly contact any business they suspect of being unlicensed. That contact can come by phone or personal visit.

You can avoid paying the licences if you are happy to buy or licence music that has already been cleared for copyright. There are a number of agencies who will licence you music for a one-off payment and that you can then play whenever and wherever you like. 

If you search for music that doesn’t need to be licensed, there are outlets that will provide “copyright free” music. But be careful, please – copyright-free doesn’t mean that you don’t still have to pay for the music – it just means that you should only have a one-time payment.  There is no payment for Creative Commons music – you just need to copy the licence with the tracks you might want to use.