Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that you find the following information helpful. While we do not provide legal advice, we strive to provide excellent world-class service to all of our users and hope to lend resources that will help users stay compliant and educated about U.S. copyright law. If you have any questions or have any feedback, please feel free to let us know at help@onvinylmusic.com so that we can continue on our goal to delight our customers!
If my business uses On Vinyl, do I still have to pay a performing rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC?
Like other third party services, On Vinyl legally covers the music that you stream on our platform by paying blanket licenses for public performance to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and SoundExchange as well as direct licenses to artists who directly sign on to our service. We do not cover public performance of live music (this is a separate license that you must pay the Performing Rights Organizations for) or music that is not streamed on our platform. If you are a live music venue, you may use our platform but must also pay a separate license to ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC to host public performances of live music in your environment. If you are unsure of whether you are legally covered by our platform, please seek legal advice or refer to the National Restaurant Association's 11 Questions About Music Licensing for more information.
Why do I have to pay for a service when I can just play Spotify or my personal Pandora account?
Your personal streaming service, even ones that you pay to subscribe to, are strictly for personal use. Commercial use is prohibited and may put your business at risk of being fined by copyright holders or performing rights organizations such as ASCAP or BMI. On Vinyl's service is strictly for commercial use and was created to play only in commercial environments.
Can I create the playlist for my business myself if I use On Vinyl?
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act prohibits us and other third party service providers from allowing users to organize songs in a specific order. However, if you are a Headliner or Lineup customer, you are able to suggest artists for us to use in curating your music by simply emailing request@onvinylmusic.com.
How do I remove a song or filter out explicit music?
We do our best to keep it clean for you but occasionally, a song with an inappropriate word will slip into the mix. Simply rate the song 1-star or skip the song and mark it as explicit and we will filter out the selection.
I'm playing music from the On Vinyl platform on a tablet but when the tablet stops playing music when the screen goes black.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties at any time, we are happy to lend a helping hand by visiting your store upon request. Please e-mail help@onvinylmusic.com to schedule complimentary assistance.
Currently, because On Vinyl only provides a web application (for now), we can only stream music if the device remains on and unlocked. We highly recommend that you use a desktop device such as your POS system, but in case you must use a mobile device, please keep the device plugged into an electrical outlet at all times and refer to the following guides to assist you with keeping your device screen on:
Apple iOS devices
To keep your iPad from going to sleep, update the Auto-lock setting. To do this, go to your iPad Settings > General > Auto-Lock. Set Auto-Lock to "Never." This will keep your screen awake.
Android devices
Depending on your tablet, you may have the option to set the screen timeout to "never" under Settings > Display > Sleep.
If you do not have this option, you can enable Settings > Developer options > Stay awake. This will keep your tablet awake while it is charging. This could be useful if your tablet does not support the "never" screen timeout.
Note: If you don't see Developer options in Settings, it may be made available by going to to Settings > About > Build number. Developer options should appear after tapping the build number several times.
Currently, because On Vinyl only provides a web application (for now), we can only stream music if the device remains on and unlocked. We highly recommend that you use a desktop device such as your POS system, but in case you must use a mobile device, please keep the device plugged into an electrical outlet at all times and refer to the following guides to assist you with keeping your device screen on:
Apple iOS devices
To keep your iPad from going to sleep, update the Auto-lock setting. To do this, go to your iPad Settings > General > Auto-Lock. Set Auto-Lock to "Never." This will keep your screen awake.
Android devices
Depending on your tablet, you may have the option to set the screen timeout to "never" under Settings > Display > Sleep.
If you do not have this option, you can enable Settings > Developer options > Stay awake. This will keep your tablet awake while it is charging. This could be useful if your tablet does not support the "never" screen timeout.
Note: If you don't see Developer options in Settings, it may be made available by going to to Settings > About > Build number. Developer options should appear after tapping the build number several times.
Are you planning on creating a mobile app version of the platform?
Yes! We hope to create a mobile app in the near future! Stay tuned.
I'm an artist. How do I get my music on your platform?
We love Austin artists! If you are not already a member of ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC and are interested in signing a direct license with On Vinyl, please send music submissions to submit@onvinylmusic.com.
What regional areas is this platform available for use?
We are currently only available for businesses in Austin. Our local focus helps us test the waters in a smaller, more familiar market before we are able to launch nationally.
What is the best web or mobile browser to use?
We highly recommend using Google Chrome to stream music through On Vinyl. Please do not use Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer to use our platform.
Can I request to add songs or artists?
While we are happy to take recommendations, we cannot guarantee that the song or artist selection will be added into our catalog of music. We must first make sure we have the proper licenses for the song or artist you are requesting. If you would like to create a custom-built mix for your business, we are happy to provide this service to our Headliner and Lineup customers.
How can I add more locations on my account?
Once you are logged into your account, you are able to add more locations to your account by selecting "View Locations" on the left-side navigation bar. Click the "+" symbol. Once on the "Add Location" page, pleasename the location, add a phone number, and pick a location on the map. Select "Save" to save the location.
Fun fact: You can see what song each location is playing on the "View Locations" page by hovering over each location on the map.
Fun fact: You can see what song each location is playing on the "View Locations" page by hovering over each location on the map.
How else can I support local music?
Please consider donating to any of the following Austin music non-profits:
How do I play music through On Vinyl?
Simply sign up for an account, verify your email address, and complete your sign-up by entering in your billing information. Once you have completed those steps, you can login and choose any of the available streams to begin playing music through your mobile or desktop device. You must connect your device to an audio receiver or sound system with an auxiliary cord in order to hear the music playing through your speakers.
Why do you ask for credit card information if I only want to sign up for the free version?
We ask for billing information before you can proceed to your music dashboard for a couple of reasons. We want to ensure that no bots or fake users register for our free platform. This protects our system and all of our users from cybersecurity threats. Your card will never be billed unless you decide to upgrade your account through your profile.
How much does the Artist get paid per stream?
We pay $0.01/stream, which exceeds our competitors by a landslide. Payout is subject to change, but all artists will be notified electronically with the e-mail they provide us.
How often does the Artist get paid?
We send direct licensees payment once every quarter in January, April, July, and October.
How does the artist receive royalties?
We are working on being able to directly deposit the funds into an artists' account but we are currently paying every artist via check and mailing it to the address they provide us upon signup.