Playing music in your place of business usually requires a public performance license. In the US these come from performing rights organizations (PROs). ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR are the four main ones, and each licenses its own catalog of songs, so a venue that plays popular music often needs a license from several of them. Each charges its own yearly fee, set by the type and size of your venue and how you use music. Instead, you can always purchase or look for free music for commercial use if you are on a tight budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, music at a restaurant is essential for setting the mood and ambience, and it is a factor in attracting more people. Fortunately, you can always buy royalty-free music. It might not include the Top 40 Hits or your choice of songs, but at least it\u2019s a legal way to spice up your business. It\u2019s the smart move, especially if you want to avoid a copyright lawsuit and the damages that come with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can I Play iTunes, Pandora, Tidal, Apple Music or Spotify?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Royalty-Free](\"https:\/\/mubert.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Mubert-Cafe\u20131920-03-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJust because you paid for a subscription from one of these music providers, it doesn\u2019t mean you can play it for a bunch of people in your place of business. With a subscription, you are only paying for personal, non-commercial use. Spotify\u2019s help page says it can\u2019t be played publicly in a business such as a bar, restaurant, store or salon, Apple\u2019s terms allow only personal, noncommercial use, and Pandora\u2019s terms say a business needs a separate service. A license from the performing rights organizations does not change these terms, so a business that wants streaming needs a service licensed for commercial use. Downloads from stores like iTunes fall under the same personal-use terms, and a CD you bought still needs the public performance licenses before you play it to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that being said, using royalty-free music for commercial use is the best and most inexpensive way to play music in your caf\u00e9, restaurant or shop. If you hear music playing at a place of business \u2014 there is a high chance that the owner is playing music legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Royalty-Free](\"https:\/\/mubert.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Mubert-Cafe\u20131920-02-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you decide to get a jukebox, the licensing works a little differently. The digital jukebox network TouchTunes says its music is licensed with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR in the US and with PRS and PPL in the UK. That coverage stops at the jukebox: venues that charge admission or a cover, or pair the music with another paid service such as karaoke, need their own licenses, and so does music from any other source, such as live acts, DJs or a staff member\u2019s phone. Older jukeboxes have their own license arrangements, so ask the vendor in writing what its license covers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there are some exemptions from these copyright laws. In the US, a restaurant or bar with less than 3,750 gross square feet (less than 2,000 for other businesses, such as shops) may play radio and TV broadcasts from FCC-licensed stations without a license, and TV delivered by cable or satellite counts too. Streaming services, CDs and your own playlists are not covered. Space used only for customer parking is left out of the count. Bigger places qualify only with limited equipment: no more than 6 loudspeakers in total and 4 in any one room or outdoor area, and for TV no more than 4 screens, one per room, none bigger than 55 inches. You also cannot charge customers to see or hear the broadcast or send it beyond your premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Potential Risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are many potential risks for playing unlicensed music in your place of business. If you don\u2019t obtain the necessary licenses from the right organizations, a US court can award statutory damages of $750 to $30,000 for each song played without permission, and up to $150,000 per song if the infringement was willful. It\u2019s a significant amount of money that you can avoid paying if you choose to buy royalty-free music for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Music Can I Safely Play in My Restaurant or Small Business?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"](\"https:\/\/mubert.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Mubert-Cafe\u20131920-04-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPlaying royalty-free music for commercial use is still the most inexpensive and least risky way to play music for your customers in your place of business. Let\u2019s face it, a yearly license fee for every organization whose songs you play adds up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unless you own a club where people expect to hear the top 40 tracks, you probably shouldn\u2019t spend all your funds on licensing alone. Instead, you can purchase royalty-free jazz, classical or meditation music that you can legally play in a caf\u00e9 or restaurant\u2014they are chill music pieces that anyone can appreciate, as long as the license covers playing them in public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatively, If you have friends who produce music or if you produce music yourself, you can also play these tracks in your place of business \u2014 considering you asked permission and purchased the samples for your tracks legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The internet is filled with tons of inexpensive or free music sources, and here are a couple of our staff picks you can choose from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJust because you paid for a subscription from one of these music providers, it doesn\u2019t mean you can play it for a bunch of people in your place of business. With a subscription, you are only paying for personal, non-commercial use. Spotify\u2019s help page says it can\u2019t be played publicly in a business such as a bar, restaurant, store or salon, Apple\u2019s terms allow only personal, noncommercial use, and Pandora\u2019s terms say a business needs a separate service. A license from the performing rights organizations does not change these terms, so a business that wants streaming needs a service licensed for commercial use. Downloads from stores like iTunes fall under the same personal-use terms, and a CD you bought still needs the public performance licenses before you play it to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that being said, using royalty-free music for commercial use is the best and most inexpensive way to play music in your caf\u00e9, restaurant or shop. If you hear music playing at a place of business \u2014 there is a high chance that the owner is playing music legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you decide to get a jukebox, the licensing works a little differently. The digital jukebox network TouchTunes says its music is licensed with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR in the US and with PRS and PPL in the UK. That coverage stops at the jukebox: venues that charge admission or a cover, or pair the music with another paid service such as karaoke, need their own licenses, and so does music from any other source, such as live acts, DJs or a staff member\u2019s phone. Older jukeboxes have their own license arrangements, so ask the vendor in writing what its license covers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there are some exemptions from these copyright laws. In the US, a restaurant or bar with less than 3,750 gross square feet (less than 2,000 for other businesses, such as shops) may play radio and TV broadcasts from FCC-licensed stations without a license, and TV delivered by cable or satellite counts too. Streaming services, CDs and your own playlists are not covered. Space used only for customer parking is left out of the count. Bigger places qualify only with limited equipment: no more than 6 loudspeakers in total and 4 in any one room or outdoor area, and for TV no more than 4 screens, one per room, none bigger than 55 inches. You also cannot charge customers to see or hear the broadcast or send it beyond your premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many potential risks for playing unlicensed music in your place of business. If you don\u2019t obtain the necessary licenses from the right organizations, a US court can award statutory damages of $750 to $30,000 for each song played without permission, and up to $150,000 per song if the infringement was willful. It\u2019s a significant amount of money that you can avoid paying if you choose to buy royalty-free music for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Playing royalty-free music for commercial use is still the most inexpensive and least risky way to play music for your customers in your place of business. Let\u2019s face it, a yearly license fee for every organization whose songs you play adds up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unless you own a club where people expect to hear the top 40 tracks, you probably shouldn\u2019t spend all your funds on licensing alone. Instead, you can purchase royalty-free jazz, classical or meditation music that you can legally play in a caf\u00e9 or restaurant\u2014they are chill music pieces that anyone can appreciate, as long as the license covers playing them in public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, If you have friends who produce music or if you produce music yourself, you can also play these tracks in your place of business \u2014 considering you asked permission and purchased the samples for your tracks legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The internet is filled with tons of inexpensive or free music sources, and here are a couple of our staff picks you can choose from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPotential Risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Music Can I Safely Play in My Restaurant or Small Business?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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