Music Licensing Laws in Singapore: What Every Business Must Know
Playing music in a commercial venue in Singapore without the correct licences is illegal and carries significant financial penalties. Yet the majority of businesses — restaurants, hotels, retail stores, cafes, and gyms — are either completely unlicensed or only partially licensed, leaving themselves exposed to legal action from collecting societies and rights holders.
This page explains the five music rights every Singapore business must hold, the collecting societies that enforce them, and how MUSICVYBE eliminates licensing complexity with a single fully licensed subscription.
The Five Commercial Music Rights in Singapore
To legally play music in any business premises in Singapore, you must hold all five of the following rights simultaneously. Missing even one leaves your business underlicensed and financially exposed:
| Right | What It Covers | Who Enforces It |
|---|---|---|
| Public Performance of Musical Composition | The right to publicly perform the underlying song (melody and lyrics) | COMPASS |
| Public Performance of Sound Recording | The right to publicly perform the specific recorded version | MRSS |
| Reproduction of Sound Recording | The right to copy or store the recording on a playback device | MRSS |
| Recording / Master Rights | Ownership rights over the master recording itself | Record labels / rights holders |
| Publishing Rights | Rights held by music publishers over the composition | Music publishers |
Singapore’s Collecting Societies: COMPASS and MRSS
COMPASS (Composers and Authors Society of Singapore) administers the public performance right for musical compositions. A COMPASS licence allows you to play songs publicly but does not cover the sound recording itself — only the underlying composition.
MRSS (Music Rights Singapore — formerly RIPS) administers the public performance and reproduction rights for sound recordings. An MRSS licence covers the recorded version but does not cover the composition, recording masters, or publishing rights.
Even with both a COMPASS and MRSS licence, your business still lacks recording/master rights and publishing rights — two of the five mandatory rights. This is the gap that exposes most Singapore businesses to legal risk.
Why Most Singapore Businesses Are Underlicensed
The most common mistake businesses make is assuming a COMPASS licence — or a Spotify subscription — covers everything. It does not. Spotify’s terms of service explicitly prohibit commercial or public performance use. A personal or even Spotify Business subscription does not grant you any of the five commercial music rights required in Singapore.
Businesses that rely on streaming platforms, personal playlists, YouTube, or radio without holding all five rights are operating illegally — regardless of whether they pay COMPASS fees.
How MUSICVYBE Solves Music Licensing for Singapore Businesses
MUSICVYBE is a fully licensed, fully managed background music service purpose-built for commercial use in Singapore. Unlike streaming platforms or partial-licence solutions, MUSICVYBE’s private-label music library is directly licensed to cover all five commercial music rights in a single subscription:
- Public performance of composition — covered
- Public performance of sound recording — covered
- Reproduction of sound recording — covered
- Recording / master rights — covered
- Publishing rights — covered
There are no additional collecting society fees. No separate COMPASS or MRSS payments. No legal grey areas. One subscription. Full compliance.
Trusted by leading Singapore venues including Jewel Changi Airport, Swissotel Singapore, Fairmont Singapore, Oakwood Premier, UOB Privilege Banking, and Cycle & Carriage.
Background Music Solutions for Every Singapore Industry
MUSICVYBE provides fully licensed background music tailored to Singapore businesses across every sector:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a music licence to play music in my Singapore business?
Yes. Any business that plays music audible to customers, staff, or the public must hold all five commercial music rights. Playing music without these rights is a copyright infringement under Singapore law and can result in fines, legal action, and court-ordered damages.
Does a COMPASS licence cover everything?
No. A COMPASS licence only covers the public performance of the musical composition. It does not cover the sound recording rights (administered by MRSS) or the recording/master and publishing rights. You need all five rights to be fully compliant.
Can I use Spotify in my business in Singapore?
No. Spotify’s terms of service prohibit commercial or public performance use. Using Spotify in a business setting violates both Spotify’s terms and Singapore copyright law, regardless of whether you hold a COMPASS or MRSS licence. See our full guide on Spotify business use in Singapore.
How much does commercial music licensing cost in Singapore?
Traditional licensing through collecting societies requires separate payments to COMPASS and MRSS, plus additional fees for master and publishing rights. Costs vary by venue size and type but can exceed SGD 40,000 annually for larger venues. MUSICVYBE consolidates all five rights into a single predictable subscription. See our Singapore background music cost guide for details.
What makes MUSICVYBE different from other background music services?
MUSICVYBE is the only background music service in Singapore that covers all five commercial music rights through its directly licensed private-label library. Competing services typically cover only one or two rights, leaving businesses underlicensed. See how we compare to Spotify and Soundtrack Your Brand.
Get Fully Licensed Background Music for Your Singapore Business
Stop risking fines and legal action. MUSICVYBE gives your business complete music licensing compliance in one subscription — no collecting society fees, no legal grey areas, no complexity.
Call us: +65 6950 4304
Visit: MUSICVYBE, Level 6, Republic Plaza, 9 Raffles Place, Singapore 048619