Music Licensing for Venues Using Song Request Systems

What VenueTunes does, what it doesn't, and what your venue is responsible for.

• Lets guests scan a QR code and search a song catalog using third-party metadata.
• Handles paid song requests through secure checkout.
• Surfaces paid requests in a DJ / staff dashboard with priority, skip, and refund tools.
• Displays a now-playing / up-next queue on a venue-controlled screen.
• Manages refunds when songs are not played in-session.

• VenueTunes does not stream or play music in your venue.
• VenueTunes does not provide a public-performance license.
• VenueTunes is not affiliated with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR, Spotify, Apple Music, or any consumer streaming service.
• Song search uses third-party catalog metadata only — actual playback happens through your venue's existing music system.

In most countries, when a business plays recorded music in a publicly accessible space, the business is responsible for paying performance-rights royalties. In the United States, those royalties are typically collected by:

• ASCAP — represents songwriters and publishers
• BMI — represents songwriters and publishers
• SESAC — represents songwriters and publishers
• GMR — represents songwriters and publishers

Many venues also use a commercial background-music provider (e.g. Soundtrack Your Brand, Cloud Cover, Rockbot for licensed playback) which bundles some licensing. Consumer Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube accounts are generally not licensed for commercial playback.

• Confirm which performance-rights organizations cover your venue.
• Confirm your music-playback provider is licensed for commercial public performance.
• Make sure your DJ or staff uses an approved playback system (not consumer accounts).
• Document your playback chain so you can answer questions from PROs and auditors.
• Review your VenueTunes content controls — block explicit lyrics, blocklist specific tracks, and set a song-length cap if needed.