Can I Play Spotify in My Salon or Spa?

Written by Luke Tyler, composer

Lots of salons and spas start with a personal Spotify account. It's easy. You already have it, and there's a playlist for everything. But is it allowed?

We compose the music for Dawn Chorus. Venue owners ask us this a lot. Here's the honest answer, and what to do instead.

The short answer

No. You can't play a personal Spotify account in your salon or spa. Spotify's own help page says it's for personal, non-commercial use only. It says you can't play it in a business setting.

That's true whether you pay for Premium or use the free version. It's also true if you already have TheMusicLicence. The licence covers the music rights. It doesn't change Spotify's terms.

Why a personal account doesn't cover a business

There are two separate permissions at play here.

• The service. Spotify lets you stream music for your own personal listening. That's the deal you agreed to when you signed up.
• The music. Playing music in public at work usually needs a licence. For most music, that's TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS.

A personal Spotify account gives you neither for a business. It isn't a business service. And it doesn't come with a licence to play music in public.

The same goes for most personal music apps, so check the terms of any app you use. And owning a song doesn't give you the right to play it to clients either.

What if I've been using it for years?

You're far from alone. Lots of venues start this way because nobody told them otherwise. The best thing to do is stop using it at work, pick one of the legal options below, and keep records from now on.

What about YouTube “spa music no ads”?

Lots of therapists search YouTube for “spa music no ads” or “massage music no ads”. There are hours of it, for free. It's tempting.

But YouTube's terms say you may view or listen to content “for your personal, non-commercial use.” Playing it to clients in a treatment room is a business use.

There are practical problems too. A title that says “no ads” is no promise you won't see one. Videos get taken down. Playlists mix different uploaders, so the sound and volume can change from one video to the next. And if the Wi-Fi drops mid-massage, so does the music.

Your legal options

There are three main ways to play music legally at a salon or spa. Each one works. They just suit different venues.

1. Business streaming plus TheMusicLicence

Business streaming services are built for shops, salons and spas. You pay a monthly fee and get playlists you're allowed to play at work.

Some include TheMusicLicence and some don't. Check with each provider before you sign up, and get it in writing. If it isn't included, you'll need to buy TheMusicLicence too.

Before you sign up, it's worth asking:

• Is TheMusicLicence included, or do I need to buy it as well?
• Does it cover every room in my venue?
• Does it play offline if the internet drops?
• Will there be ads, adverts for the service or spoken breaks?

2. Your own downloads or CDs plus TheMusicLicence

You can play music you've bought, as long as you have TheMusicLicence. It covers most commercial music. You'll need a device and a speaker, and you'll need to keep your playlists fresh.

3. A direct licence from the music's owner

Some music isn't registered with PRS or PPL at all. The composer holds the rights and licenses them to you directly. GOV.UK says “You do not need a licence to play royalty-free music”. And PPL PRS says you may not need TheMusicLicence if you don't use its music.

That's how Dawn Chorus works. We write every track ourselves and never register it. You choose a plan for your venue at one flat price, quarterly or yearly, whatever its size. There's no measuring, no room counts, and you can cancel anytime.

One rule to remember. A Dawn Chorus licence covers Dawn Chorus music only. If you also play the radio, TV or a streaming app, you still need TheMusicLicence for that.

For more on all three, see our guide to music licences for spas and salons.

What works best in a treatment room

A treatment room asks a lot of its music. It has to sit in the background for an hour or more. It can't jolt anyone. And it has to keep going without anyone touching it.

Here's what we'd look for:

• No ads. One advert in the middle of a facial undoes all your good work.
• No silence. A gap in the middle of a treatment is just as jarring as an advert.
• No sudden changes. Playlists can jump from calm to upbeat. Long single pieces stay steady.
• Long files. A 90-minute massage needs music that won't stop or loop a short track halfway through.
• No Wi-Fi needed. Files saved on a device keep playing when the internet drops.
• Steady volume. Music written to sit under a treatment won't suddenly swell.

That's why every Dawn Chorus collection comes as a 60-minute file and a 10-hour file. Press play at opening and leave it. Clear Day is a good place to start for all-day use. It's soft and light, and easy to be around for hours.

Matching music to each room

Different rooms need slightly different moods. Here's how we'd use the collections:

• Reception and waiting areas. Open Air is bright and spacious, without being too cheerful.
• Facials and quiet rooms. Still Water is calm and warm, with a slow drone that helps people settle.
• Massage and bodywork. Warm Ground is rooted and unhurried, and tuned to 432 Hz.
• All day, everywhere. Clear Day stays light and steady from opening to close.

Switching over in a day

You can move off a personal account in an afternoon. Here's how.

1. Listen first. Play the previews on the collections page and pick what suits your rooms.
2. Add your venue. At checkout, enter your venue's name and address. Add more venues if you have them.
3. Download the files. Your order email has a download button for each file. Save them to the device you use for music.
4. Set it playing. Put the 10-hour file on repeat and press play when you open.
5. Keep your certificate. It comes with your order email. Save a copy with your business papers.
6. Log out of Spotify at work. Make sure nobody switches back to a personal account.

You can do most of this between appointments. Tell your team about the change, too, so nobody puts a personal playlist back on out of habit.

If anything else still plays at your venue, like a radio in the staff room, sort out TheMusicLicence for that too. Our post on whether you need a PPL PRS licence walks you through it.

Hours of music, no ads, licensed for your venue. Hear the Dawn Chorus collections.

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

Is it illegal to play Spotify in a salon?

Using a personal Spotify account in a business breaks Spotify's terms. Playing music in public without the right licence is also copyright infringement, and GOV.UK says you could be sued for damages. The simple fix is to use a business service or licensed music instead.

Can I play YouTube music in my spa?

Not from a personal account. YouTube's terms allow viewing and listening for personal, non-commercial use only. Playing videos to clients in a treatment room is a business use, so look at a licensed option instead.

Do business streaming services include the PPL PRS licence?

Some do and some don't. It depends on the provider, and sometimes on the plan. Check with each provider before you sign up, and ask for the answer in writing.

What can I play without a streaming service?

You can play music licensed directly to your venue, such as Dawn Chorus. You download the files and play them offline. If that's the only music you play, you don't need TheMusicLicence for it.