Many business owners wonder if they can use live radio as their on-hold music since radio stations have music licenses. It's a common misconception that playing publicly-available radio music is harmless. However, in the world of music licensing, there's a crucial distinction between private and public use.

When a radio station obtains a music license, it's for broadcasting to individuals' homes, and that's where their licensing authority ends. Using radio music as hold music constitutes a re-broadcast, making it your responsibility to secure the appropriate license. Without it, you're in violation of copyright law.

To draw a parallel, it's akin to buying a CD and playing it at home (private use) versus playing it in your store without a license, which qualifies as a "public performance" and is illegal. To emphasize the consequences, Larry Leigh from Michigan was recently embroiled in a $400,000.00 lawsuit for playing unlicensed music in his clothing store.

This is outlined in Title 17 of the United States Code. Section 106 which outlines the exclusive rights of copyright holders, including the right to control public performances of their works.

While it might be tempting to play your favorite "Kenny G" (or similar) CD as on-hold music, it's essential to consider copyright and licensing regulations. When you play copyrighted music in a public setting, such as for your callers on hold, it typically requires the appropriate licensing.

In most cases, personal music CDs are intended for private use, like listening at home or in your car. Playing them in a business setting can be considered a "public performance" under copyright law, which may require the necessary licenses.

To ensure compliance with copyright regulations and avoid potential legal issues, it's advisable to explore licensed hold music options that offer a wide range of music choices without the need for individual licensing. This way, you can enjoy music on hold legally while enhancing your callers' experience.

This is outlined in Title 17 of the United States Code. Section 106 which outlines the exclusive rights of copyright holders, including the right to control public performances of their works.

Hold Music Radio is a service that provides a range of music stations and messaging options to enhance the caller experience during moments of waiting. It works by allowing businesses and organizations to select and play music stations, including custom stations with custom messaging, to keep callers engaged and informed while on hold.

We offer a variety of music stations, including Christmas, Corporate, Country, Dance, Jazz, Piano, Pop, and Rock. You can choose from these stock stations, or we can create a custom station tailored to your preferences.

Visit our stations page for more information on our stations as well as sample tracks.

We offer affordable pricing plans designed to suit various needs and budgets. You can choose from plans for stock stations or custom stations, each with its own set of features.

Check our Pricing page for detailed information.

To get started, simply sign up for one of our plans, and our team will assist you in integrating our services into your phone system. It's a hassle-free process, and you can start enhancing your caller experience right away.

Yes, we offer custom messaging options. You can add personalized messages to promote your services, share important information, or convey your brand's message. Custom messaging helps you connect with your callers on a deeper level.

Yes, all the music we provide is royalty-free and cleared for commercial use. You don't have to worry about licensing fees or copyright issues.

You can easily access Hold Music Radio by subscribing to one of our pricing plans. Once you're subscribed, you'll receive access to our music stations and messaging features, which you can integrate into your phone system. Stations are accessed via a URL and can be played in WinAmp, Windows Media Player, MadPlay (on UNIX), or with a hardware media player provided by us for traditional PBX systems.

We can provide custom shell scripts for Asterisk. For traditional PBX systems our media player add-on will connect to our stations over the internet and allow you to plug into your traditioal PBX such as a 3COM NBX or an AT&T Merlin system.

Absolutely. You have the flexibility to switch between music stations at any time to match the desired atmosphere or time of year. You can make this change easily from your user control panel on our website.

Yes, we provide friendly and responsive customer support to assist you with any questions or issues you may encounter. You can reach out to our support team via email or phone, and we'll be happy to help.

Our stations page has sample tracks for each genre of music as well as sample messaging.

You can also dial into our test line at: (573) 758-9721 to hear Hod Music Radio in action.