Hold Music Licensing: Real or Scam?

How to avoid huge fines for playing music on hold.

ASCAP, BMI, and other performance rights organizations (PROs) are tasked with collecting performance rights licensing fees on behalf of music publishers. These organizations have been stepping up their collections activity. They want to get paid if you haven’t secured hold music licensing through a vendor. But if you receive a collections letter from a music licensing group, how can you tell if it’s real or a scam?

Are you properly licensed?

A significant portion of BMI’s business is to “educate” and charge — by phone and in person — the hundreds of thousands of businesses across America that don’t know or don’t care to know that they have to pay for the music they use.

Do you need ‘hold music licensing’? Yes.

What is legal hold music? Follow the link to learn more!

Do you need to pay ASCAP? Not necessarily.

We recommend that you obtain a contract from a music on hold provider like Easy On Hold?, and be assured that all applicable music licenses are paid on your behalf.

How to avoid fines for playing hold music

Obtain a custom on-hold contract from a reputable on hold company to be certain you are using licensed content (like Easy On Hold).

Even with the more powerful marketing potential custom music on hold messages provide, the cost is significantly less than national music services, do-it-yourself solutions, or (gulp) fines and fees.

What if your business gets a letter from ASCAP, BMI, or another PRO?

If you get a letter from one of the performance rights organizations, contact Easy On Hold?. We have ongoing relationships will all licensing organizations and know how to spot an authentic letter. The letter you receive will contain specific information, including a case number we can use to find out what is going on.

If your business has received a letter demanding payment for the use of music, contact Easy On Hold. One of our customers requested proof of performance rights, which we provided directly to the licensing organization. The response from the client:

“Talked with Julie from Easy On Hold. She provided the document which verifies legitimacy of the license, etc. Thank you for your prompt and courteous support. EOH is one of my favorite vendors.“ - Theresa

Rest assured, Easy On Hold? is paying performance fees on behalf of all of our clients. Note also that BMI and ASCAP are both very active in seeking fees and fines. Is it time you learned more about hold music licensing?

Read the whole story here: https://learn.easyonhold.com/knowledge-base/hold-music-licensing-real-or-scam/.

Call us if you have any questions at (1-888-798-4653). We'll help you avoid illegal on-hold music.