Music in churches and religious denominations

Music reporting

To report music or to "report a performance" means that you submit information about which music has been played at your concerts and other music occasions.

How does music reporting work?

• The congregation reports performed musical works for concerts, music worship services and other music events organized by the congregation. Read about the difference between these three categories further down the page. Music at baptisms, weddings and funerals does not need to be reported.
• To report to Stim we recommend that you use the web service available on My Pages. First you must apply to become a music reporter. Fill in the requested details for the person or persons (church musicians) who will handle music reporting in your congregation. Under 'Artist to report for' it is sufficient to enter the congregation's name. Stim will then get back to you shortly with your login details.
• A congregation or parish can have several people connected to web reporting, where each reporter has a personal login.
• You must also report public domain music that has been performed, that is, music whose creators have been deceased for at least 70 years. In our web service, free works of music are collected under the title "DP Works" and have work number 2045625. You also enter the play time for these musical works.
• Feel free to watch our step-by-step video guide on how to report music online.
• If you need further guidance for the web service you can also have a look at our PDF guide for "Report a performance" which describes the process in nine steps,

What is the difference between a concert, a worship service and musical entertainment?

• Concert - An event where live music, without liturgical elements, is performed publicly before an audience with or without an admission fee.
• Music worship service - An event where live music, with a liturgical element where the liturgy has no connection to the music, is performed publicly before an audience with or without an admission fee.
• Musical entertainment - The performance of live music, without liturgical elements, within the congregation's own activities in Sweden such as in care services, café settings or at lunch concerts.

Additional licenses for The Church of Sweden

The agreement that The Church of Sweden has with Stim covers concerts, music worship services and other musical entertainment.

However, there are exclusion. For example, the recording of worship services is not covered. For such music use additional licenses are required.

Recording of a worship service with musical content: CD/DVD

To obtain a license to make a CD or DVD of a recorded worship service with musical content, fill out a license application.

Record releases

.

Contact Customer Service via our web form if you have questions regarding the agreement with the Church of Sweden.

Stim has agreements with the following free church denominations:

• The Seventh-day Adventist Church
• The Uniting Church in Sweden (UCS)
• The Evangelical Free Church in Sweden
• The Salvation Army
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Pentecostal - free congregations in cooperation
• The Swedish Alliance Mission (SAM)

The denominations pay an annual fee that covers most music usage.

The Uniting Church in Sweden

For live music events organized by member congregations with up to 299 members, The Uniting Church in Sweden pays an annual fixed fee to Stim. The exception is live events with more than 500 attendees. These events are reported and paid for by the respective member congregation. Live music events organized by member congregations with more than 299 members are reported and paid for afterwards by the respective member congregation.

For other music use (e.g. CD copying, film screenings, dance, discos, exercise classes, background music in serving) regardless of the number of members in the member congregations, The Uniting Church in Sweden pays an annual fee to Stim.

Other free church denominations

Other free church denominations also pay centrally for live music events organized by member congregations with up to 299 members. Live music events organized by member congregations with more than 299 members are reported and paid for afterwards by the respective member congregation or centrally by the denomination (The Pentecostal Church). For other music use (e.g. CD copying, film screenings, dance, discos, exercise classes, background music in serving) regardless of the number of members in the member congregations, the denominations pay a central annual fee to Stim.

Rentals

A congregation that has rented out its premises for music events must, at Stim's request, provide information about the main organizer and inform them that Stim's permission is required. Remember that the person who rents the premises is responsible for arranging the necessary permits, for example obtaining a music license from Stim.

Additional licenses

The agreement does not cover the recording of worship services or music on congregations' websites. For such use of the music additional licenses are required.

Manuscript works

The accounting and reporting of so-called manuscript works (unpublished works) in worship services ended in 2011 due to a change in the law. However, this does not affect the financial part of the agreements between Stim and the congregations since Stim has never charged for manuscript works.

Record releases