What Performing Rights Organisations Don’t Fully Explain About Business Music Licensing

Many businesses are surprised to discover that playing music in a commercial environment can require additional licensing beyond a standard streaming subscription. Organisations such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and Global Music Rights manage performance rights for many mainstream artists and songwriters.

What is often misunderstood is that businesses typically only need these additional licences when using music represented by those organisations. If a business uses specially licensed commercial background music designed for business environments, the licensing situation can be very different.

This confusion leads many cafes, restaurants, salons and stores to receive unexpected invoices or licensing visits that they had never budgeted for.

Melody Pods was created to simplify this process by providing music designed specifically for business use, helping small businesses avoid unnecessary complexity around background music management.

  • Your lobby isn’t “dead space” — it’s your first sale

    Your lobby isn’t “dead space” — it’s your first sale

    Costs are up, staff are stretched, and guests are more price-sensitive than ever. So why are we still letting the lobby feel like a waiting room in a dentist? Music fixes the vibe fast. A warm, branded playlist makes people slow down, look around, and actually consider the bar, the café corner, the upgrade. If…

  • Title Image for music for cafes, music for restaurants, music for retail, music for hotels.

    The Relationship between Background Music, Emotion and Duration of Stay in cafes & Restaurants

    As always with research into the use of music in cafes and restaurants it’s critical to test the right music for the right audience. “Satisfaction, delight, browsing and spending time” are all impacted if you get the right music to match your customers. Of course when you have a full mix of customers its going…

  • Another innovation from Melody Pods: VR background music!

    Another innovation from Melody Pods: VR background music!

    Yes you’ve heard it first and heard it here, now you can use VR headsets so all your customers can listen to your background music via VR headsets! OK, scrap that…. definitely not the best use of our development budget so instead we will focus on features we have heard you need to make your,…

  • Title Image for music for cafes, music for restaurants, music for retail, music for hotels.

    Music Advice for Cafe Environments

    In cafes, music is a crucial tool for setting the mood, attracting a specific clientele, and influencing customer behavior. Unlike bars where music can be a focal point, in a cafe, it’s typically intended to be background noise—present but not intrusive. The most popular music genres found in cafes are generally those that promote a…

  • Title Image for music for cafes, music for restaurants, music for retail, music for hotels.

    Restaurant music Advice

    The role of music in a restaurant is a delicate art, a key component of the overall dining experience that, when done correctly, can elevate the food, influence customer behavior, and reinforce a restaurant’s brand identity. The type of music chosen is highly dependent on the restaurant’s style and a range of factors including tempo,…