The Ultimate Guide to Music for Hotels
The right sound, for every part of your hotel
Finding the right sound for your hotel is key to creating a great guest experience. But you cannot use personal apps like Spotify or Apple Music. Playing music in your lobby, bar, or pool is a “public performance.” This means you need special licenses to be legal.
This guide helps you understand what to look for in a licensed background music for hotels service. We will cover the basic features all services offer. We will also explore the key questions you need to ask before you choose a provider.
Standard Features of Hotel Music Providers
When you start comparing providers for music for hotels, you will see they all offer a few core features. These are the basics you should expect from any provider.
- Full Music Licensing: The main benefit is that the service is 100% legal. The monthly fee you pay includes all the complex public performance licenses from groups like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. You do not have to worry about fines.
- Music for Every Zone: Hotels have many different areas. The music in your spa should be different from your bar. All services let you create “zones” (e.g., lobby, pool, gym, restaurant). This lets you play different music in each area at the same time.
- Easy Music Scheduling: You should be able to set the mood for the time of day. Good services let you schedule music. You can play calm, quiet music in the lobby for breakfast. Then, you can have it switch to upbeat lounge music for the evening happy hour.
- Playlists for Any Vibe: Providers have huge libraries of music. They are often sorted into playlists made for business. You can find stations like “Boutique Hotel Lobby,” “Modern Spa,” or “Poolside Lounge.” This saves you the time of making playlists yourself.
Hardware Guide: Connecting Your Background Music for Hotels
How will the music actually play in your building? This is a key technical question. You have a few common options. Be sure to ask providers which of these they support.
- A Dedicated Player: This is often the most reliable “set it and forget it” option. The company sends you a small streaming box. You plug this box into your sound system and the internet. It’s built to run 24/7.
- Use an App: Most services have an app for an iPad, Android tablet, or PC. You can use an extra device you already own. You just plug that device into your amplifier. This is a good, low-cost choice.
- Pro AV Systems: If your hotel uses a professional sound system like Crestron, Savant, or Control4, ask about this. Some music services can connect with these systems. This lets your staff control everything from one main screen.
- Sonos Speakers: Many services now work with Sonos speakers. This is a great, simple option for smaller zones like a single spa room or a small cafe. There is no Sonos for Business system, rather some music for business providers offer Sonos integration while others do not. Our free music for business comparison tool can help you find a Sonos compatible provider quickly.
Make an informed choice! Compare music providers for your business on our Compare Page—free and simple.
Why Offline Playback is a Must-Have for Hotels
Your hotel is open 24/7. Your music for hotels should be too. A common problem is when your hotel’s Wi-Fi or internet goes down. A silent, dead-air lobby feels strange to guests.
This is why offline playback is a critical feature to ask about.
Look for a service that downloads and stores music on its player or app. This is called “caching.” If the internet cuts out, the music keeps playing from the saved songs. Ask the provider how long their system can play offline. A good service should be able to run for at least several hours or days without a connection.
Who Controls the Music for Your Hotel?
You want to control your brand’s sound. But you also have to manage your team. The best services for hotel music give you advanced user controls. This lets you decide who can change what.
When comparing, ask about these permission features:
- Can you lock playlists? You may want to “lock” the music in the lobby. This stops staff from changing the music to their personal favorites.
- Can you create manager roles? Your Bar Manager should be able to control the bar’s music. But they should not be able to change the music in the spa. Good systems let you create roles for each zone.
- Do you have central control? If you manage a group of hotels, you need to see all of them. Look for a service that lets you manage 10 or 20 properties from one single, easy-to-use master account.
How to Switch from Spotify to Legal Hotel Music
Many hotels start out using a personal Spotify or Apple Music account. You may know you need to switch, but it feels like a big job. You have already spent years creating the perfect playlists for your brand.
The good news is that you may not have to lose that work.
When you research music for business providers, check if they have a “playlist import” tool. Some services let you import your playlists from Spotify or Apple Music. Their system will scan your list. It then matches your songs with the fully licensed songs in its own library. This is the fastest way to get your hotel legal while keeping the “vibe” you already built.
Our free music for business comparison tool makes it easy to find a provider that has a Spotify Import or an Apple Music Import feature.
Need music for your hotel? Check out different providers on our Compare Page, fast and free!
Frequently Asked Questions About Hotel Background Music
Q: Why can’t I just use Spotify or Apple Music for my hotel?
A: Those services are for personal, private use only. Their terms of service forbid using them in a business. Playing them in your lobby or bar is a “public performance” and breaks copyright law. You could face large fines. Remember, there is no legal Spotify for Business, Apple Music for Business of even an Amazon Music for Business. You will need a legal music for business provider.
Q: What is a “public performance license”?
A: It is the permission you need from artists and songwriters to play their music in a public space. A business music service pays for all these licenses for you. This includes ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR in the US. Music for business providers make sure all their music is legally licensed for public performance.
Q: Do I really need different music for different zones?
A: Yes. Guests have different needs in different areas. The lobby is a first impression. The spa needs to be calm. The gym needs to be high-energy. Using zones helps you create the perfect mood for each part of your guest’s journey. You will need a separate music subscription for each “zone”. You can learn more about “zones” and managing music across multiple locations here.
Q: Do I have to buy a special hardware player?
A: Not always. Many services work on an iPad, PC, or Sonos speakers you may already own. But a dedicated player is often more reliable and built for 24/7 use. Here you can evaluate the pros and cons of each playback option for your music for business.
Q: What happens to the music if my hotel’s internet stops working?
A: This depends on the service. The best providers offer “offline playback.” Their player or app saves the music. This means the music keeps playing, even if your Wi-Fi is down.
Q: Can my staff change the music in the lobby?
A: Only if you want them to. A good service lets you “lock” playlists in certain zones. You can also create user roles, so only managers can make changes.
Q: I already have playlists on Spotify (or Apple Music). Can I move them?
A: Refer to our free music for business comparison tool to quickly find out which providers offer a Spotify import or Apple Music import feature.