4 min read
Key Takeaways
- Spotify is designed for personal listening, so using it for on-hold music in a business phone system may breach licensing terms.
- Playing a radio station on hold can also require additional licences because the music is being re-broadcast to callers.
- Using licensed production music or professional on-hold messaging services ensures your phone system audio is compliant and sounds professional.
It’s a question many businesses ask when setting up their phone system: can you just play Spotify or a radio station for your on-hold music? At first glance, it seems like the easiest solution. After all, Spotify has endless music and radio stations play great tracks all day. But when it comes to using music in a business phone system, things aren’t quite that simple. In Australia, music used for messages on hold is subject to copyright law and licensing requirements. That means using Spotify or a live radio feed could put your business at risk of breaching licensing rules. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Businesses Want Music on Hold
When callers are placed on hold, silence can feel awkward or confusing. Many people assume the call has dropped if they don’t hear anything. Music on hold helps solve that problem by letting callers know they’re still connected while also making the wait feel shorter. In many cases, businesses combine music with spoken on-hold messages that provide helpful information or promote services. But before choosing what music to play, it’s important to understand the legal side.
Can You Use Spotify for On-Hold Music?
In most cases, no.
Spotify is designed for personal listening, not commercial broadcasting. Even if your business pays for a Spotify subscription, the platform’s terms of service typically prohibit using it in a way that publicly transmits music to others, such as through a phone system.
When music from Spotify is played on hold, it is effectively being broadcast to callers. That falls outside the personal use allowed by most streaming services. This means using Spotify directly for on-hold music could breach both copyright rules and Spotify’s user agreement.
What About Playing a Radio Station on Hold?
Some businesses connect a radio to their phone system and use that as their hold music. While this may seem like a simple solution, it can also create licensing issues. Radio stations broadcast copyrighted music that belongs to artists, songwriters, and record labels. When that broadcast is re-transmitted through your phone system, it may require additional licensing because the music is being communicated to a new audience, your callers. Depending on how your system works, businesses may need licences from organisations such as APRA AMCOS and PPCA, which manage music rights in Australia.
The Safer Option: Licensed On-Hold Music
Beyond licensing compliance, professionally produced on-hold audio often delivers a better caller experience. Instead of a random playlist or radio feed, you can combine music with clear voiceovers that welcome callers, explain services, or answer common questions. This keeps callers engaged and makes your business sound more organised and professional. If you want something even more distinctive, custom audio or advertising jingles can give your brand a recognisable sound every time someone calls.
Keep Your On-Hold Music Legal and Professional
Using Spotify or a radio station might seem like a quick fix for music on hold, but it can create licensing issues for businesses in Australia. The safest approach is to use properly licensed music designed for phone systems. That way, you avoid copyright concerns while giving callers a polished, professional experience.
If you’re unsure whether your current on-hold setup is compliant, or if you want to upgrade your phone system audio, contact the Image On Line team and we’ll be happy to help.
