We hear this question almost every week, and it makes sense. You already pay for the subscription, the playlists are good, and the speaker is right there. But a personal music subscription was never built for a business, and the companies that protect songwriters know it.
What do Spotify and Pandora actually allow?
Spotify’s terms say it plainly: the service is for personal, non-commercial use, and it can’t be played publicly in a business. The terms even list bars, restaurants, stores, salons, schools and dance studios as examples.[1] Pandora’s consumer plans carry the same personal-use limit.[2] Upgrading to Premium removes the ads. It doesn’t add a business license.
Why isn’t my subscription enough?
Your subscription gives you the right to listen. When music plays for customers, it becomes a public performance, and that right belongs to the songwriters and publishers. The business owner, not the employee who picked the playlist, is responsible for having it licensed.[3]
Isn’t there an exemption for small businesses?
Not for Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Apple Music or any other streaming app. The short answer is no.
What happens if a business gets caught?
$750–$30K
per song
Statutory damages for each song played without a license
$150K
per song
Maximum when a court finds the infringement willful
3 songs
$18,000+
What one Baltimore bar was ordered to pay in 2026
Copyright law allows damages of $750 to $30,000 per song, and up to $150,000 per song if the court finds the infringement willful, plus the other side’s attorney fees.[4] In June 2026, a Baltimore bar was ordered to pay more than $18,000 after a researcher documented just three songs played on two nights.[5] We’ve collected more recent cases from Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Illinois in Do I Need Licensed Music for Business?
Most of these cases don’t start with a complaint. Licensing representatives visit businesses in person, and they also check websites and social media for videos and posts with music playing in the background.
Does this apply to salons, gyms and dental offices?
Retail
Restaurants
Bars
Salons
Gyms
Dental
Yes. A salon client in the chair for an hour, a member on the treadmill and a patient in the waiting room are all hearing a public performance. Healthcare offices are no exception: music in waiting rooms and lobbies needs to be licensed, and so does the music callers hear on hold.[6] Every one of these businesses benefits from music, and every one of them needs it done the right way.
Can I use Spotify just for my employees in the back?
No. Spotify’s terms still say non-commercial, and sound carries.
What’s the legal way to play music in my business?
The simplest way is a commercial music service that includes the licensing for the music it plays. Muzicraft business music is built for exactly that. It gives you licensed, commercial-free music chosen for your customers, so you can stop worrying about who’s checking.
It also does things a personal app can’t. Playlists are curated for your brand and your hours, with explicit versions filtered out. Different areas can play different music, the dining room can change as the day goes on, and short in-store messages can play between songs to promote what you’re selling. And because it runs on a dedicated player, the music doesn’t leave when a manager’s phone does.
Licensed
Public performance licensing for the music we play is included.
Curated
Playlists built for your brand, with explicit versions filtered out.
Zones
Different music for the dining room, bar and patio.
Scheduled
Music that changes with your hours and dayparts.
Messaging
Short promos and announcements between songs.
Reliable
A dedicated player that doesn’t leave with someone’s phone.
| Spotify Premium | Muzicraft Business Music | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed for business use | ✕ | ✓ |
| No ads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Explicit lyrics filtered | ✕ | ✓ |
| Music by zone and daypart | ✕ | ✓ |
| In-store messaging | ✕ | ✓ |
| Local install and support | ✕ | ✓ |
Southern California businesses
Federal copyright law applies the same way in Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles as it does anywhere else. Our coastal towns are full of restaurants, tasting rooms, boutiques and salons with the music on, so licensing representatives have plenty of places to visit. Muzicraft has been providing licensed business music here since 1952, and we can set up your music, tune your speakers and add on-hold messaging and digital signage from one local team.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spotify Premium legal for business use?
No. Premium is still a personal, non-commercial plan.[1]
Is there a “Spotify for Business”?
Not as a Spotify service for playing music to your customers.
Can I play YouTube or Apple Music instead?
No. They’re personal-use services too.
Who actually checks?
Licensing representatives. They visit businesses, look at your social media and website, and call.[5]
How do I switch to licensed music?
Call Muzicraft. We’ll look at your space and speakers, pick music that fits your brand and get a licensed player running.
Sources
- Spotify Support, “Spotify for public or commercial use.”
- Pandora Help, “Using Pandora in your business.”
- ASCAP, “Why ASCAP Licenses Bars, Restaurants and Music Venues.”
- 17 U.S.C. §504(c) and §505, statutory damages and attorney fees.
- Digital Music News, “Baltimore Bar Must Pay $18.5K for Unlicensed Karaoke Songs,” June 26, 2026.
- BMI, “Music Licensing for Hospitals, Clinics, Care Centers and other Healthcare Facilities.”