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The Importance of Licensed Music for Your Business
For a worry-free experience, music licensing for business use is essential to your brand.
Playing music in a business isn’t as simple as plugging in an aux cable. Most music is copyrighted, making it illegal to use without the right permissions, which are granted through a music licensing agreement.
Ready to elevate your brand with fully licensed music? Contact Us.
Since playing music in a public setting is considered a public performance, you need a license to play copyrighted music.
The right music can inspire and engage your customers, motivating them to stay longer and spend more. Licensed music for businesses enables you to use copyrighted music legally in commercial settings, such as retail stores, restaurants, and other public venues, thereby protecting you from costly legal issues.
%
of small-to-midsize businesses illegally use personal streaming accounts to play music for their customers.
%
of Business Leaders Lack Familiarity: of 150 business leaders in the retail, hospitality, & restaurant industries, only half had some familiarity with music licensing. This lack of awareness is a major reason for non-compliance.
The music industry loses an estimated $2.65 billion annually from small businesses worldwide that misuse personal streaming accounts instead of obtaining proper business licenses.
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) represents the public performance rights for more than 20.6 million musical works created by over 1.3 million songwriters, composers, and publishers.
What is music licensing?
Music licensing is the process of getting permission from a music’s copyright owner to use it in a specific way. Every song is made of two core components: the composition (lyrics and melody) and the sound recording (the specific recorded version of the song).
Each component has its own set of rights and royalties. This is why a song like The Beatles’ “Yesterday” can have a single composition but countless recorded versions, each with different rights holders.
Why Your Personal Streaming Account Won’t Work for Your Business
While personal streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music are convenient, their terms of service prohibit public performance. Instead, businesses must use commercial music services that provide the appropriate public performance licenses.
Violating these terms can result in significant legal consequences, regardless of whether you have a paid subscription. In the long run, investing in a commercial service ensures your business is fully protected and compliant.
How Does Licensed Music Help My Business?
Using copyrighted music without permission can lead to serious legal consequences and significant fines. By obtaining the appropriate licenses, you ensure your business is legally protected while using music to build your brand. Fines for unauthorized performances of musical works can range from $750 to $150,000 per incident.
Beyond financial risks, using unlicensed music denies artists and musicians the income they deserve. Over a billion dollars in revenue is lost from unpaid licensing each year. Artists deserve to be fairly compensated for their work.
In March 2024, ASCAP filed 13 separate copyright infringement lawsuits against bars and restaurants across the country for unauthorized public performances of its members’ works.
– ASCAP
In June 2025, ASCAP filed 15 separate copyright infringement actions against establishments nationwide for allowing unauthorized public performances.
– ASCAP
In June 2025, ASCAP filed 15 separate copyright infringement actions against establishments nationwide for allowing unauthorized public performances.
Why Trust Mood Media as Your Licensed Music Provider?
For businesses with multiple locations or a global footprint, managing music licensing can be a complex and time-consuming challenge. This is where our expertise becomes a vital asset.
Simplifying Complexity
We design and implement licensed music programs that simplify the process and protect your business.
Global Administration
Mood Media administers master and mechanical rights globally, which cover the reproduction rights for sound recordings.
Expert Navigation
Our specialized knowledge enables you to navigate the complexities of global music licensing, allowing you to focus on your core business.
Trusted Solution
Companies like ours are among the best music licensing sites for comprehensive solutions.
Professional Curation
We design and implement expertly curated music programs that are appropriate for your brand. This music is always fully licensed, ad-free, and screened for inappropriate content.
Music Licensing FAQs
New to music licensing? Here are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand.
Do I need a music license for my business?
Yes. If you play copyrighted music in your business, a music license is required. Publicly playing music is a public performance and requires a license to avoid legal issues and fines.
What is the difference between a personal music subscription and a business music license?
Personal music subscriptions (like Spotify or Apple Music) are for private, non-commercial use only. Their terms of service prohibit public performance. A business music license gives you the legal right to use copyrighted music in a commercial setting.
What happens if I don't have a music license?
Using copyrighted music without a license can lead to costly fines and legal action from performance rights organizations (PROs) and copyright holders. Fines can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars per incident.
How do I get a music license for my business?
You can obtain a license by contacting a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC, or by subscribing to a commercial music service that handles the licensing for you.
What is the purpose of a Performance Rights Organization (PRO)?
A PRO collects and distributes royalties to songwriters, composers, and music publishers for the public performance of their music. They act as an intermediary, simplifying the licensing process for businesses and ensuring creators are compensated.
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