Music licensing in Germany

Do I need an additional licence?

Yes

SoundMachine's subscription includes public-performance licensing only in the USA and Canada. In Germany your business also needs a licence from the local organisations below.

Local licensing organisations

• GEMA — compositions, and it also collects GVL’s share for sound recordings

GEMA collects for GVL, so a business does not register with GVL separately. GEMA has separate pages for retail, hospitality and fitness studios.

What SoundMachine covers

SoundMachine provides licensed music for business use, but in Germany it does not replace a local public-performance licence. Read SoundMachine's licensing information.

No music service's licence covers DJs, live bands, karaoke or music from other sources such as radio, TV or CDs.

Steps

1. Get a licence from the organisation above.
2. Start SoundMachine — a free trial is available.
3. Set up SoundMachine in MZAP.

Questions about licensing

We can't advise on music licensing. SoundMachine's support team can point you to the right licensing authorities: [email protected] or the SoundMachine contact page.

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This page is general guidance, not legal advice, and we cannot guarantee it is complete or up to date. Your business is solely responsible for holding the licences it needs. Last checked: 2026-10-26.