Music Licence for Business: The UK Options for Treatment Venues

Written by Luke Tyler, composer

If your business plays music, you need permission to play it. In the UK, there are a handful of ways to get that permission. This guide lays them all out, so you can pick the one that fits your venue.

We compose and license music for spas and salons, so we've had to learn this properly. We'll be fair about every option, including the ones that aren't ours.

The short answer

Most UK businesses that play recorded music need TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS. That covers almost all commercial music. The main other route is music licensed directly by whoever owns it, such as royalty-free or unregistered music.

GOV.UK sets out the basics. You usually need a licence to play recorded music in public or at work. If PPL PRS doesn't manage the music you play, you may need a licence from someone else. And “You do not need a licence to play royalty-free music.”

So the question to ask is simple. Whose music are you playing, and who has given you permission to play it?

Who needs a music licence?

Almost any business that plays music where people can hear it. That includes spas, salons, clinics, gyms, shops, cafés and offices.

It doesn't matter if only staff can hear it. PPL PRS says music played outside the home counts as a public performance, even in a staff room or back office.

There's one small exception. PPL PRS doesn't charge homeworkers, or workplaces with one worker where no visitors or customers hear the music. That rarely fits a treatment venue, because your clients hear the music.

Not sure about your own venue? Our post on whether you need a PPL PRS licence goes through it step by step.

Option 1: TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS

This is the licence most businesses have. It comes from PPL PRS, a joint company set up by PPL and PRS for Music. PPL looks after the recordings and PRS looks after the songs. Since 2018, you've been able to get both in one licence.

With it, you can play most commercial music at your premises. That includes music from:

• the radio
• the TV
• CDs and downloads
• digital devices and business music services
• live performances, such as a singer at an event

The price depends on your type of business and how you use music. For hair and beauty, the published price is based on treatment chairs. You pay every year, and prices can change. We've looked at the real figures in how much a PPL PRS licence costs a salon or spa.

What it doesn't give you

TheMusicLicence covers the music rights. It doesn't give you a way to play the music. You still need a legal source, like a business streaming service, your own CDs or downloads, or the radio.

That's why a personal Spotify account still isn't allowed at work, even with TheMusicLicence. We cover that in can I play Spotify in my salon or spa?

Option 2: A business streaming service

Business streaming services are apps made for shops, salons and spas. You pay a monthly or yearly fee. In return, you get playlists you're allowed to play at work.

Here's the catch. Some include TheMusicLicence and some don't. If yours doesn't, you need to buy TheMusicLicence as well. Always ask the provider, and get the answer in writing.

Streaming suits venues that want lots of choice and fresh playlists. It needs a device and a steady internet connection all day.

Option 3: Royalty-free or unregistered music

Some music isn't looked after by PPL PRS at all. The composer or label still holds the rights and licenses them to you directly. If that's the only music you play, you may not need TheMusicLicence for it.

PPL PRS agrees. Its help pages say there are circumstances where you may not need TheMusicLicence if you choose not to use its music. It suggests asking your supplier for confirmation and forwarding it on.

Be careful with labels, though. “Royalty-free” can mean different things. Some royalty-free tracks are still registered with PRS or PPL. We explain what to check in royalty-free or unregistered music: what venues should check.

How a direct licence works

This is how Dawn Chorus works. We write every track ourselves and have never registered any of it with a collecting society. Your venue pays one flat price, quarterly or yearly, whatever its size. Your certificate names your venue, and a new one arrives with every renewal.

The trade-off is choice. You get a focused library of long collections made for treatment rooms, rather than every song ever released.

The options side by side

Can you mix them?

Yes, and lots of venues do. You might play licensed spa music in the treatment rooms and the radio in the staff room. That's fine, as long as each source has the right cover.

The rule is easy to remember. A direct licence covers only the music it names. If anything else plays on site, like the radio, Spotify or the TV, you still need TheMusicLicence for it.

Other situations to think about

Music on hold

Music on your phone line counts as a separate use. PPL PRS prices it separately from background music, so mention it when you ask for a quote.

Classes and events

If you run yoga classes, open evenings or events with music, tell PPL PRS how you use music. Live music and featured music can be priced differently from background music.

TVs in reception

A TV licence from TV Licensing is a separate thing. It's about watching or recording live TV. It doesn't cover the music on screen for your clients, so TheMusicLicence may still be needed.

Hotel spas and groups

If your spa is inside a hotel, or you run several sites, there are a few extra questions. We cover them in music licensing for hotel spas and multi-site groups.

How to choose

Start with what you want to hear. Then pick the option that covers it.

• You want the radio, chart songs or the TV on. Get TheMusicLicence.
• You want lots of playlists and don't mind a monthly fee. Look at business streaming, and check whether TheMusicLicence is included.
• You only want calm background music in treatment rooms. A direct licence may be all you need, if it's the only music you play.

If you run a spa or salon and want the version written for treatment rooms, read our guide to music licences for spas and salons. It explains how a direct licence works, what it covers and what it doesn't.

Keep proof of what you play

Whichever option you choose, keep the paperwork. That might be your TheMusicLicence documents, your streaming contract or a supplier's certificate. If PPL PRS ever gets in touch, you can answer in minutes. We explain how in what to do if PPL PRS contacts your spa.

Want music that's simple to license? Hear the Dawn Chorus collections, or read how it works on the licensing page.

This post is general guidance, not legal advice. If you're not sure what your venue needs, contact PPL PRS or a legal adviser.

FAQs

Do I need a music licence for my business?

Usually, yes, if you play recorded music where staff or customers can hear it. For most music, that's TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS. If you only play music licensed directly by its owner, you may not need it for that music.

What is TheMusicLicence?

It's a single licence from PPL PRS that covers most commercially released music. It replaced the separate PPL and PRS licences in 2018. You pay for it every year.

Is there a free music licence for businesses?

Not as such. GOV.UK says you don't need a licence to play royalty-free music, but that music usually still costs something to buy. Free apps and videos are normally for personal use only.

Does a business streaming service include a music licence?

Some do and some don't. It depends on the provider and sometimes the plan. Ask before you sign up, and get the answer in writing.

If I buy Dawn Chorus, do I still need TheMusicLicence?

Not for Dawn Chorus music. If it's the only music you play, that's all you need. If you also play the radio, TV or a streaming app, you still need TheMusicLicence for that.