BUSINESS USE OF SPOTIFY

Using Spotify in your business

The answer to the question, “Can I use Spotify for business purposes?” is

No.

But why not?

Spotify is a music streaming service designed for the consumer market. This means that Spotify does not hold the necessary rights to allow the service to be used for business purposes. Spotify is therefore not intended for businesses, but for personal use.

But don't I still pay Buma/Stemra and Sena?

Yes, that is true.

As soon as you use music in your business, you must pay Buma/Stemra and Sena for the public performance of the music. It does not matter which music source you use (radio, CDs, computer, or something else) or whether the music is used for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

In short: you pay disclosure fees.

The amount you must pay for public performance rights to Buma/Stemra and Sena is determined by the number of square meters where the music is played and the industry your business falls under.

What else do you have to pay?

For the use of commercial music in your business, you have to pay reproduction rights.

The fee for reproduction rights is NOT paid for business use with a Spotify subscription. This is because Spotify is a consumer streaming service. With a business streaming service, these costs are included in your subscription.

If you do use Spotify in your business, you are in violation of the law and risk being assessed additional taxes in the event of an audit by Buma/Stemra or Sena.

In short

Do you want to play commercial music in your store, business, or organization? Then it’s best to use a business streaming service, such as BCM Stream. We pay the reproduction rights, so you only have to pay the public performance rights. That way, artists receive fair compensation and you don’t risk a back tax assessment. It’s a win-win, right?

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