A copyright owner can license their copyright in the work to parties who want to use or reproduce the copyright work. In return the owner of the copyright may get a licence fee or royalty.

In Australia it is common for owners of copyright in musical works to assign their rights to the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). APRA then licenses those rights for a fee to anyone wanting to use the works in public (such as nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and radio stations).