Licensing & royalties
Collecting-Society-Free Music
Collecting-society-free music is music whose authors and producers have not registered the works with any performing rights or neighbouring rights organisation — SIAE, GEMA, SACEM, SGAE, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, SCF, GVL, PPL and their counterparts. Because those societies collect only for repertoire in their databases, unregistered music generates no tariff and nothing to declare.
In practice
This is what venues, broadcasters and event organisers are really looking for when they ask for "SIAE-free" or "GEMA-free" music. It matters for public playback, live events, radio and television, where society reporting is the standard obligation. Two cautions apply: registration is per work and per author, so a catalogue is only society-free if none of its contributors registered any part of it; and society-free is a statement about collections, not about copyright — the music is still owned by someone, so you still need rights to use it.
How SoniBuyout® handles it
Sonify produces its catalogue with authors who do not register the works, so nothing enters society databases. A buyout then gives you the second half: full ownership documented by a certificate, so playback generates neither society tariffs nor licensing questions.
Real questions
Does society-free music mean I can use it for free?
No. It means no collecting society will bill you for playing it. You still need permission from the owner — a licence, or ownership through a buyout.
How do I prove music is society-free at an inspection?
With documentation from the supplier: a rights-assignment agreement or certificate naming the tracks, plus the supplier's declaration that the works are unregistered.
Related terms
Own the track instead of renting it
Sonify Music sells exclusive buyouts of catalogue tracks: one payment, full ownership, the track removed from sale and a named certificate of ownership.