Do you have to pay Sena for AI music?
Updated
The short answer Not with RadioMatic. You pay no Sena for AI music that is made entirely by AI and never released as a record. Sena can only collect for a recording that has been commercially released, as Articles 1 and 7 of the Dutch Neighbouring Rights Act set out.
Why no Sena Music made for one station is not released and has no performer. Because the music had not been released, Sena lost in court in 2025.
What you pay With RadioMatic you pay from € 29.99 a month, and nothing to Sena or Buma/Stemra.
Music without Sena and without Buma
- No Sena and no Buma/Stemra. Because the music is made with AI, there is nobody to collect for.
- Backed up. By the law, the ruling of the district court and our legal memorandum.
- A station of your own. The best music every day, with your own hits coming back, like on the radio.
- 14 days free. A reply within one working day and live in under ten minutes.
From € 29.99 per location per month. A shop of 200 m² with five staff now pays € 181 a year to Sena, and Buma/Stemra on top. Both go.
What Sena says
On its page about AI Sena writes (translated): "Using (illegal) AI-generated music does not release users from the obligation to pay a fee for making music public." The reason Sena gives is that many AI models were trained on music without the rights holders' permission.
That is a point about how a model was trained. It says nothing about what Sena may collect for under the law.
Why you pay nothing to Sena with RadioMatic
The law requires a released record. Sena collects on behalf of performers and record companies for phonograms released for commercial purposes (Articles 1 and 7 of the Neighbouring Rights Act). Our tracks are made for one station and not released.
There is no performer and no producer. Nobody sings or plays, and there is no record company. So there is nobody Sena can collect for.
The court did not side with Sena on that ground. In 2025 the district court in Gelderland rejected a claim by Sena, because it had not been shown that commercially released phonograms were involved (ECLI:NL:RBGEL:2025:6175).
The model was trained cleanly. The maker of the model behind RadioMatic states publicly that it was trained only on rights-free sources, public domain and commissioned or licensed work. On top of that we continuously check every track with audio fingerprinting, like Shazam, and our own tools for similarity to existing protected work.
And Buma/Stemra?
Buma/Stemra itself says that works made entirely by AI without human creative input do not qualify (Buma/Stemra on works made by AI). So with RadioMatic you pay nothing there either.
What to watch for with other providers
Rights included is not the same as no rights. Some providers pay the fees and pass them on in their price. See the providers compared.
Lyrics by a person. If a person writes the lyrics or the melody, there is a creator, and something can be due.
Released AI tracks. An AI track released as a record, for example on Spotify, can fall under Sena.
Sources: Sena on AI, Neighbouring Rights Act, ECLI:NL:RBGEL:2025:6175, Buma/Stemra on works made by AI. Consulted on 24 September 2026. 2026 tariffs, base tariff. This is information, not legal advice.
Work out what you save
Three questions, and you see what you now spend on Buma/Stemra, Sena and your music service.
What kind of business do you have?
What it costs with us
With RadioMatic you pay from € 29.99 per location per month, excluding VAT, and that is all. No Sena, no Buma/Stemra and no second bill. The full reasoning is in our legal memorandum.
Read the legal reasoningWhy RadioMatic is something other than a playlist or the radio
A business owner who wants music on the premises usually picks from three things. A playlist from a streaming service, an ordinary radio station, or a royalty-free music package. This is where they differ.
| Playlist | Ordinary radio | Royalty-free | RadioMatic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New music | Fixed list | Yes, but not your choice | Limited catalogue | New every day |
| Music that is yours alone | No | No | No | Yes, your own hits |
| Fits the time of day | Switch it yourself | No | Switch it yourself | Automatic |
| Names your business | No | No | No | Yes |
| Your own offers | No | Only if you buy advertising | No | Yes, with Professional, no studio |
| Local news and weather | No | Yes, the station’s | No | Yes, with Professional, your town |
| Other people’s adverts | No | Yes | No | No |
| Several locations | Set up per location | No | Set up per location | Yes, from one place, each with its own mood |
| Buma/Stemra and Sena | Payable | Payable | See the terms | Not payable |
Questions about Sena and AI music
Further reading
- How does AI music for business work?What it is, how the levies work, and what to watch out for.
- Music without Buma and Sena. Is it possible?Which routes exist, what they really cost, and which one holds up.
- Does royalty-free music still exist? What Sena has said since 2024For Buma/Stemra it sometimes held true. For Sena it ended on 1 January 2024.
- AI music for business, the providers comparedWhat the providers of AI music for business offer and cost, side by side.
Ready to hear it for yourself?
Try RadioMatic free for 14 days. Your own station for your business, without Buma/Stemra and Sena, and cancel monthly if you pay monthly.
Rather talk first? Book a 15-minute call