HMG advocates for practical direct licensing in ACCC review of APRA AMCOS

Heart Music Group has continued its participation in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s current review of APRA’s music-licensing arrangements.

APRA AMCOS collectively administers performing rights in musical works on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers. Because aspects of these collective arrangements may otherwise raise concerns under Australian competition law, APRA has applied to the ACCC for a further five-year authorisation.

Authorisation provides legal protection for specified conduct where the ACCC is satisfied that the likely public benefits outweigh the likely public detriments.

The ACCC issued a draft determination in December 2025 proposing to grant APRA a further five-year authorisation, subject to conditions intended to improve accountability and transparency. The ACCC’s public register records a number of submissions from Heart Music Group throughout the process, including HMG’s participation in a pre-decision conference.

Why HMG is participating

Heart Music Group supports the important role collective licensing can play in making music licensing simpler for businesses and generating royalties for creators.

However, blanket collective licensing should not prevent artists and rights holders from choosing to license their music directly, nor should it make direct licensing unnecessarily difficult for businesses wishing to support particular creators or repertoires.

HMG’s participation has therefore focused on ensuring that direct licensing is not merely available in theory, but can operate clearly and practically in the commercial market.

What HMG has advocated for

Through its submissions, HMG has advocated for practical measures including:

• clear, publicly available guidance explaining how direct licensing operates;
• straightforward processes for businesses to notify APRA when music is licensed directly;
• transparent methods for adjusting blanket-licence fees where eligible repertoire is licensed outside APRA;
• timely processing of direct-licensing requests and licence adjustments;
• appropriate recognition of representatives authorised to act for artists and rights holders; and
• practical direct-licensing pathways for sectors including retail and commercial radio.

These measures would not remove the option of obtaining a blanket licence. Instead, they would help ensure that artists, rights holders and businesses have a genuine choice between collective and direct licensing arrangements.

Why this matters

For independent artists, direct licensing can create a clearer connection between the use of their music and the royalties they receive.

For businesses, it can provide greater transparency about which music is being used, where licensing payments are going and whether their overall music-licensing arrangements reflect the repertoire they actually play.

Fair Play Aotearoa has been developed to support this model by combining music supply, direct licensing, detailed playback reporting and royalty distribution. Its reporting distinguishes directly licensed HMG repertoire from music that remains within other licensing arrangements.

HMG appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the ACCC’s public consultation process and acknowledges the work involved in considering the interests of music creators, rights holders, licensees and other industry participants.

Heart Music Group will continue advocating for a music-licensing environment that preserves the benefits of collective licensing while enabling practical choice, greater transparency and meaningful opportunities for direct licensing.