Do I Need a Music License in the US?

Short answer: yes, almost certainly. If you play music that customers or staff can hear in your US business, whether from Spotify, the radio, a USB stick, CDs or any streaming service, you need a license to play it commercially. There is no size exemption. A directly licensed service like Melodial, at US$6.99 per month, is one of the more cost-effective fully licensed options in the US, and includes both the music and the license.

Why the license is required

Playing recorded music where customers or staff can hear it is a public performance under the US Copyright Act. In the US, public performance rights are administered by the US performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR). Without the right license, you are exposed to serious penalties: backdated fees, damages and legal costs. The PROs actively contact businesses playing unlicensed music. They send letters, make phone calls, send representatives to listen in person and use music recognition technology. A license from one PRO does not protect you from the others, because each represents a different catalog. “Too small to notice” is not a real category.

Wondering what happens if you do not comply? See the real penalties for playing music without a license in the US.

Does my situation require a license?

Situation	License status
Playing Spotify in my shop	License required. Spotify’s terms only cover personal use, even with Premium.
Playing the radio	License required if customers or staff can hear it.
Playing CDs or USB music	License required. Buying music only grants personal use rights.
Playing YouTube or Apple Music	License required. Personal streaming services prohibit commercial use.
No music at all	No license needed.
Playing Melodial exclusively	License included. Your subscription is your commercial license.

What a music license normally costs in the US

Traditional licensing means paying a music rights organization for permission to play music in public, and then paying separately for the music itself.

Depending on the size of your business and how many people come through your space, this can run to thousands per year.

There is a much cheaper option

Melodial includes both the music and the license in a single subscription. Because Melodial owns or directly licenses every track in the catalogue, none of the music is registered with the PROs or any other collecting society, so there are no royalties to collect and no license fees to pay.

Get licensed in three steps:

1. Subscribe to Melodial for US$6.99 per month (US$69.99 per year). No contracts, cancel anytime.
2. Play Melodial exclusively. Switch off Spotify, radio and CDs, and use the streams, playlists or mobile app instead.
3. Download your Certificate of Compliance, official proof that your music is fully licensed for commercial use.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a music license for a small business in the US?

Yes. There is no size exemption. Even a one-person shop or a small waiting room needs a license if music can be heard by customers or staff. With Melodial, your subscription covers one stream at a single premises of any size, for US$6.99 per month.

What if I just play the radio?

You still need a license. Playing the radio in a business counts as a public performance of copyrighted music under the US Copyright Act, and the performing rights organizations pursue businesses for this.

What if I use Spotify Premium?

Spotify’s terms of service prohibit commercial use. Even with Premium, you would need a separate public performance license from the PROs, which costs hundreds or thousands per year on top of your Spotify subscription.

What is a cost-effective music license option in the US?

Melodial, at US$6.99 per month, includes both the music and the license in one subscription. The alternative is typically a separate streaming subscription plus PRO licenses costing US$800 to US$5,000 or more per year across the four PROs.

What if the PROs contact my business?

Show them your Melodial Certificate of Compliance. It proves your music is fully licensed and not part of any collecting society’s catalogue. If they press further, forward Melodial their email and the team will help you respond.