A web radio without music is like a concert without musicians, unimaginable.But before you stream your favorite songs, you need to make sure that all legal requirements are met.Especially in Germany, GEMA and GVL play a central role when it comes to licensing music.In this article we explain what you as an operator need to know and what alternatives there are.
GEMA, protection of authors
GEMA (Society for Musical Performance and Mechanical Reproduction Rights) protects the rights of composers, lyricists and music publishers.As soon as you make copyrighted music publicly available, be it through live streaming or playlists, you need a license from GEMA.
Advantages of the GEMA license:
- Access to a huge repertoire of international music
- Legally compliant operation of your web radio
Costs arise depending on the number of listeners and the average streaming duration.You can calculate your individual costs on the GEMA website.
Find out more about this directly from GEMA
GVL, Protection of Performers
While GEMA protects copyrights, GVL (Society for the Exploitation of Ancillary Copyrights) takes care of the rights of performers and sound recording producers.The same applies here: If you stream music, you need a license.
The GVL charges fees based on the same criteria as GEMA, but supplements the rights of the performers.Both licenses together cover the majority of the required rights.
Find out more about this directly from GVL
Royalty-free music as an alternative
If you want to avoid the costs of GEMA and GVL, there is an alternative: royalty-free music.These are works whose authors have waived GEMA membership.
Advantages are:
- No additional license fees
- Flexibility in use
- Legally protected use
Platforms like Jamendo or PremiumBeat offer a large selection of royalty-free music in various genres that are ideal for web radio.
Modern platforms to support
With a modern platform like modern streaming servers you can not only manage your music efficiently, but also ensure that you are legally protected.a modern streaming server helps you organize your playlists and gives you the flexibility to seamlessly integrate both royalty-free and licensed music.
Thanks to the comprehensive management options of a modern streaming server, you always have an overview and can operate your web radio in a legally secure manner.
Conclusion
Music licensing may seem complicated at first, but it is essential for the legally compliant operation of a web radio.Whether you choose a GEMA and GVL license or royalty-free music depends on your concept and your budget.With the right decisions and the support of a platform like a modern streaming server, you can ensure that your web radio not only sounds great, but is also legally protected.