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Music licensing for retail stores in United States

Melodial for Retail Stores

Music licensing for retail is confusing, expensive, and easy to get wrong. We built Melodial so you never have to think about it. Fully licensed music for the whole shop floor for $6.99 a month. The license is in the subscription.

Yes, even the radio at the counter counts.

Most store owners have no idea that the radio behind the counter or the phone propped at the register needs a commercial license. Fair enough. Nobody tells you until a letter from a collecting society arrives.

The rules say that any music shoppers or staff can hear, whether it's from ceiling speakers, a phone at the register, or a radio behind the counter, counts as a public performance. Personal streaming accounts, CDs, and free-to-air radio all need a separate commercial license the moment customers can hear them, and there's no exemption for a small boutique.

For a typical store, that license runs to several hundred a year, on top of what you pay for the music itself. We think that's a rough deal for an independent retailer, so we made a version where the music and the license are the same $6.99 subscription.

A typical retail store

Here's what the traditional route costs a typical retail store, and what we charge instead

$1,044
$744
$300
Traditional / year
$69.99
Melodial Basic / year
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR license Music vendor
That's about
$974
back in your pocket every year, for a store of around 150 sqm.

Melodial Basic is $6.99/month, music and license in one bill. No ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR fee, no second streaming subscription.

Indicative only, based on a store of around 150 sqm. Music vendor is an estimate: a typical business subscription starts around $25 a month. Full details on our licensing guide.

If a collecting society ever contacts you, we've got your back

Certificate of Compliance included. Download your official licence certificate from your account. If ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR or any licensing body contacts your retail store, show them the certificate. You're covered. And if you need help responding, forward us their email and we'll draft the reply.

The three rights you need to play music commercially

There are three separate rights involved in playing music in a business. The traditional system makes you deal with them across multiple bills. With Melodial, all three are in the one subscription.

Recording rights

The right to stream a specific sound recording of a song.

✓ Covered by Melodial

Publishing rights

The right to use the underlying composition and lyrics.

✓ Covered by Melodial

Public performance rights

The right to play music in a commercial environment where customers can hear it.

✓ Covered by Melodial

Melodial owns or directly licenses every track in its catalogue. None of it is registered with any collecting society, so there are no royalties to collect and no license fees to pay. Your subscription is your license.

Playlists for every part of your day

From open to close, Melodial has playlists for every moment. No explicit lyrics, no jarring transitions.

Pop Energy
Pop Energy
Upbeat · Current · On-brand

Chart-friendly energy to keep shoppers moving.

Soft Pop
Soft Pop
Mellow · Warm · Easygoing

Softer pop for a relaxed browse later in the day.

Dance Pop
Dance Pop
Bright · Punchy · Modern

Modern dance-pop for a lively shop floor.

Summer Beats
Summer Beats
Sunny · Lively · Warm

Warm, lively tracks for a welcoming floor.

Start your free trial to hear the full library, 50+ playlists across 30 genres.

Switch in 3 minutes

1

Sign up for a free trial. No credit card required.

2

Pick a playlist. Connect it to your speakers via the app, Bluetooth, or AUX.

3

Download your Certificate of Compliance. You're covered from that moment.

Why Melodial costs a fraction of the traditional route

Traditional

You pay ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR for the public performance license, then pay a separate streaming vendor for the music itself. Two bills, and every layer between you and the artist takes its share.

Melodial

Melodial owns or directly licenses every track. There is no ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR fee to add on top, so your subscription is both the music and the license, for $6.99/month.

Common questions from retail stores

Does my store really need a license?
Yes, unfortunately. If a shopper or staff member can hear music, whether from ceiling speakers, a phone by the register, or a radio behind the counter, it counts as a public performance and needs a commercial license, even for a small boutique. The good news: with Melodial, that license is already inside your $6.99/month subscription.
Can I just use my Spotify or Apple Music subscription?
We wish. Personal streaming accounts are licensed for private, non-commercial use only, so playing them where customers can hear the music is still an unlicensed public performance, whatever the tier. Melodial works the same way in practice, an app connected to your speakers, except the commercial license is built in.
Is Melodial really a legal alternative to a ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR license?
Yes. Melodial owns or directly licenses every track in its catalogue. None of it is registered with any collecting society, so there are no royalties to collect and no license fees to pay. Your subscription is your license.
Does it matter how big my store is?
Not with Melodial. ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR typically charges retail stores based on floor area, the bigger your store, the more you pay. Melodial is a flat $6.99/month regardless of store size.
What if ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR contacts my store?
If ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR or any licensing body contacts your store, show them your Melodial Certificate of Compliance. You're covered. And if you need help responding, forward us their email and we'll draft the reply.
Can I still play Spotify or the radio alongside Melodial?
If you play any commercially released music, even occasionally, you'll still need a collecting society license for that music. To fully replace the collecting society fee, play Melodial exclusively during business hours.
Do you have mainstream artists?
No, and that's exactly why you don't need a collecting society license. Our catalogue is professionally produced music designed for retail environments. Most customers won't notice the difference, they just want a pleasant shopping atmosphere.
What does the music actually sound like?
Modern, high-quality music across 24 genres, including pop, easy listening, jazz, indie, lo-fi, soul, and classical. This is not elevator music. Start a free trial and listen for yourself, no card required.
What does Melodial Basic actually include?
One flat $6.99/month (or $69.99/year) subscription covers the music and the license for a single stream, playing to as many speakers as you like at one location. You get a downloadable Certificate of Compliance the moment you subscribe, and can play via any device connected to your speakers.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No contracts and no cancellation fees. Your access continues until the end of your current billing period.
What our customers say
We have been using Melodial for a short while now and have found it easy to use and pain free to set up, could not be simpler. The variety of music has helped suit our mood and customer base. Since using this product customers seem more relaxed in the shop and spend longer with us which results in stronger sales.
Gary, Limehouse Art · limehouseartgallery.co.uk
Excellent collection of different types of music and songs at a great price tag. Definitely recommended.
Somesh S., Swan Reach General Store

Get your shop floor sorted today.

Music and license in one subscription, for $6.99/month. One less letter you'll ever have to worry about.

Read the full licensing guide →
Start your free trial No credit card required