Imagine your event without music. It's regularly an integral part of conventions and meetings, whether incorporated into general sessions to support the overarching message or theme, to energize entries, in PowerPoint and video presentations, or at networking events. At tradeshows, music can be heard in many exhibit booths, sometimes as part of a video presentation or simply playing in the background.
Meeting and convention organizers may not think twice about adding a soundtrack to their events. Still, the setting may subject them to liability under copyright law. Not every musical performance requires a license fee, like playing music in your car or streaming songs in the privacy of your home. Yet, using that same source for music in a meeting setting will likely require a license fee from the Performing Rights Organizations.
All the music you hear was written, arranged and performed by someone. And music is like all personal property—when you want to borrow it from someone, you must ask permission.
Takeaways:
- Why businesses and organizations need to be licensed to play music, and what happens if music is used without permission
- How licenses work, and why a venue's music license doesn't necessarily mean your event is covered or protected
- How to get licensed and what your license covers, as well as how much music licensing costs and where that money goes
- Alternatives to music licensing and other ways to incorporate music into your events
With decades of experience providing keynote speakers, corporate entertainment and industry education, Michael Owen shares a wealth of knowledge from his career in the business events industry. Founded in 1998, his company EventGenuity, LLC, supports meetings and events throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
A meetings industry activist, Michael has served on the MPI International Board of Directors, TNSAE Board of Directors, NATD Board of Directors, PCMA Global Advocacy & Independent Planner Task Forces, as Chair of Events Industry Council APEX Standards Committee and as a member of The Meetings Industry Wi-Fi Coalition. Michael received the MPI RISE Meetings Industry Leadership Award and the Tennessee Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award.
Michael is a frequent presenter at industry conferences and learning institutions, speaking on what's now and what's next in meetings and events. He has published articles in Meetings Today, Meetings and Conventions, Convene, Meeting Mentor Magazine, Connect Magazine, The Meeting Professional and Successful Meetings magazines, and as a guest columnist for The Tennessean and Nashville Business Journal.