As part of the campaign, SUISA is collaborating with music creators who act as ambassadors: in German-speaking Switzerland, composer, yodeller and singer Melanie Oesch; in French-speaking Switzerland, the duo Aliose, made up of Alizé Oswald and Xavier Michel. All three are SUISA members. In video interviews, Melanie Oesch and Aliose show the amount of work, passion and discipline that goes into every song – and why fair remuneration for the use of music should go without saying.
Music is work – not a given
For the ambassadors, it is clear that success in music requires hard work. Melanie Oesch has been on stage since childhood and composes new pieces together with her family. “It takes a lot of perseverance,” she says. “You need to follow your own path and stay committed in the long term.”
Aliose also emphasise that passion alone is not enough: “Composing requires discipline and endurance,” says Xavier Michel. Their success did not come overnight – but through countless hours of composing, writing and rehearsing.
Both acts agree: creating music is work that requires time, creativity, discipline and dedication – and this work must be paid fairly.
Why SUISA is needed
Composing and writing music is only remunerated once the music is distributed and used – for example on the radio, at concerts or as background music in shops, restaurants or offices. Ensuring that music creators receive payment for these uses is SUISA’s central task. It administers authors’ rights on behalf of artists and distributes income when music is used outside the private sphere.
“SUISA knows when and where our songs are played,” explains Melanie Oesch. Alizé Oswald adds: “Thanks to SUISA, we can continue creating music and sharing it with our audience.”
For shop owners, restaurant operators or office managers, it would be impossible to obtain rights for each individual piece of music directly. SUISA bundles these rights into licences that cover almost the entire global music repertoire.
Fairness through music licences
Anyone in Switzerland or Liechtenstein who uses music outside a private context requires such a licence – an authorisation from SUISA. This is defined in copyright law. The fees for the licences and what needs to be taken into account for the respective uses are regulated in tariffs.
For playing background music, the Common Tariff 3a (TC 3a) applies. Around 100,000 businesses in Switzerland already hold a SUISA licence under TC 3a. However, many do not know that they need such a licence or do not understand why they must pay SUISA for playing background music in their premises. Yet the principle is simple and fair: just like lighting, plants, artwork or other furnishings, music helps create the right atmosphere for customers or employees.
SUISA distributes 87 francs out of every 100 to music creators
By obtaining a SUISA licence, businesses contribute to fairness: SUISA distributes around 87 francs out of every 100 collected directly to music creators and publishers whose works were used. For musicians such as Melanie Oesch or Alizé Oswald and Xavier Michel of Aliose, SUISA payments represent a substantial part of their income.
With this campaign, SUISA aims to remind shops, restaurants, bars and other businesses that those who use music in their establishments must pay its creators. After all, they are using the result of the artists’ work: the music. And this must not be free of charge.
Registering music use
Anyone who uses music outside the private sphere can register here:
www.suisa.ch/background-music
