Music on Hold for Australian Businesses: The Complete Guide

Every business puts callers on hold at some point. A receptionist checks a diary, a call is transferred to accounts, or the phones get busy on a Monday morning. What your caller hears in those seconds says a lot about your business. Silence makes people think they've been cut off. A crackly radio station or the default beeping from your phone system sounds careless. Good music on hold keeps callers relaxed, tells them they're still connected, and makes the wait feel shorter.

This guide covers what Australian businesses need to know about music on hold: why it matters, how licensing works, how to choose the right music, and how to combine it with professional voice messages.

Why music on hold matters

Callers who hear nothing on hold are far more likely to hang up, and a caller who hangs up may ring a competitor instead. Music fills the silence and reassures callers that the line is live. It also sets the tone for the whole call. A calm, well-chosen track before the call is answered helps the conversation start on a positive note.

Music on hold is also part of your brand. You put a lot of care into your website, signage and vehicles. Your phone line is often the first real contact a customer has with you, so it deserves the same attention. A medical practice, a law firm, a car dealership and a surf shop will all want a different sound, and the right music signals who you are before anyone says a word.

If you're curious about what callers experience while they wait, read what happens when you're put on hold.

Licensed music vs royalty free music

This is the part many businesses get wrong. Playing music to callers counts as playing music in public, so you can't simply plug in a radio or stream a playlist from your phone. There are two legal ways to use music on hold in Australia.

Licensed commercial music

If you want to use well-known commercial songs, you'll need the appropriate music licence. In Australia, licences for businesses playing music are handled through OneMusic Australia, which looks after the rights for songwriters, publishers, artists and record labels. Their site explains which licence suits your type of business and how on hold use is covered.

Licensed music works well if your brand is closely linked to a particular style, or you want callers to hear familiar tracks.

Royalty free music

Royalty free music is produced specifically for business use, so you don't need ongoing public performance payments for it in the same way. It's a popular choice for music on hold because it's designed to sit comfortably behind voice messages, has no sudden loud sections, and is available in a huge range of styles. If you'd like to know more about what royalty free really means, see our article does royalty free music actually mean no Queen?.

You can browse styles in our music library to hear what's available.

Choosing the right music for your callers

The best on hold music suits your brand, your callers and the phone line itself. Here's what to consider.

Match your brand and industry. A professional services firm usually suits gentle piano, light acoustic or soft corporate tracks. A gym or retail store can go more upbeat. Healthcare practices often choose calm, warm music that helps anxious callers relax.

Think about who's calling. Consider the age range and mood of your typical caller. Someone ringing a funeral home and someone booking a party venue are in very different headspaces.

Choose music that survives the phone line. Telephone audio is compressed and squeezes out much of the bass and treble. Tracks with lots of deep bass or very high detail can sound muddy or tinny. Simple, mid-range arrangements sound clearest on a phone.

Avoid vocals under voice messages. If you're playing messages over the music, instrumental tracks work best. Sung lyrics compete with the voice and make messages hard to follow.

Keep the volume steady. Music with big jumps between quiet and loud sections can startle callers. Professionally prepared on hold music is mixed so the level stays even.

Combining music with on hold messages

Music on its own fills silence. Music combined with professionally voiced messages turns hold time into a marketing opportunity. While callers wait, you can:

• thank them for calling and let them know they'll be answered shortly
• promote a product, service or current special
• answer common questions, such as opening hours or how to book online
• point them to your website or social media
• reinforce your brand with a consistent, professional voice

The usual approach is to alternate short messages with music, so callers aren't hearing a voice the whole time. Messages generally work best when they're short and conversational, and the overall program should be long enough that callers who wait a while don't hear the same message repeated over and over. For guidance on length, read how long should an on hold message be?

Media Group writes, voices and produces complete on hold programs with music mixed in. You can choose an Australian voice from our telephone voice artists and find out more on our on hold messages page.

Getting music on hold onto your phone system

Modern phone systems make this easier than ever. Most VoIP and cloud phone systems let you upload an audio file directly through an admin portal. Older on-premise systems may need a dedicated on hold player connected to the phone system.

A few tips:

• Check the file format your system needs. Phone systems often require a specific format, such as a particular WAV or MP3 setting. We supply files in the format your system needs.
• Ask your phone provider where the upload setting is. It's usually called music on hold, hold music or queue audio.
• Consider hardware for older systems. If your system can't accept uploaded files, an on hold player can do the job. See our on hold hardware options.
• Test it. Once it's loaded, ring your own number, ask to be put on hold and listen. Check the volume and make sure the music isn't cutting out.

If you use call queues, you may also want separate audio for callers waiting in a queue. Our queue messages are built for exactly that.

Keeping your hold music fresh

Regular callers notice when the same track and messages play for years. Refreshing your program every few months keeps it current and gives you a chance to promote new products, seasonal offers or holiday trading hours. Updating the messages and swapping the music occasionally keeps your phone line sounding as current as your website.

Music on hold FAQs

Do I need a licence for music on hold in Australia?

If you play commercial music to callers, you generally need a music licence. Licensing for businesses is handled by OneMusic Australia. Royalty free music produced for business use is an alternative that avoids most of this complexity.

Can I just play the radio on hold?

It's not recommended. Radio can include ads for competitors, talkback and news you don't control, and it still needs to be licensed. It also tends to sound poor over phone lines.

What type of music works best on hold?

Instrumental tracks with a steady volume and a mid-range sound usually work best, because they stay clear over a phone line and don't compete with voice messages. The style should suit your brand and your callers.

Can music and voice messages be combined?

Yes. Most businesses alternate short professionally voiced messages with music, which keeps callers informed and reassured while they wait.

Will music on hold work with my phone system?

Almost all modern VoIP and cloud phone systems accept uploaded audio files. Older systems may need an on hold player. We can supply files in the format your system needs.

Get professional music on hold

Media Group has produced business audio for Australian companies since 2008. We can help you choose music, write and voice your messages, and supply a finished program ready for your phone system. Request a free quote or call 1800 086 183 to get started.