Live music venues offer music fans a space to enjoy unique, real-time musical performances – concert experiences only made possible by songwriters and composers who create the music that those musicians perform. When you become Licensed To Play with SOCAN, you have the freedom to engage all the live music your business needs to be successful, while ensuring that the artists you hire to perform are compensated for their work as songwriters as well. Your license to play music demonstrates to artists, songwriters, music fans and peer businesses that your venue is using music legally and ethically, while supporting Canadian music creators. The license fees that live venues pay to SOCAN for the public performance of live music are used to compensate SOCAN-member songwriters, composers and music publishers that make up SOCAN.
What happens to the license fees my business pays to SOCAN?
SOCAN is a member-based, not-for-profit organization. All the royalties that we collect – less operating costs– are passed on to our members, and members of SOCAN’s affiliated international societies, who create the music that you use in your business and at your events.
Propelled by the conviction of re-invention, in their celebrated 20-year career Tegan and Sara have gone from indie darlings to full-blown pop stars, balancing critical acclaim with mainstream ambition. They've performed alongside both Neil Young and Taylor Swift, and played both Coachella and The Academy Awards. The twin sister SOCAN members have sold more than a million albums, received seven gold sales certifications and one double-platinum, earned three JUNO Awards, two Polaris Prize nominations, and one Grammy nomination. These beloved SOCAN members have given their devoted audience the gift of a front-row seat to their lifelong process of evolution.