Do hotels need a music licence?
A hotel needs permission for publicly played music, but the required licences or payments depend on the provider, catalogue, country, and hotel areas involved.
Make the decision for the actual hotel
A hotel has to make music work alongside arrivals, reception conversations, long opening hours, multiple public spaces, staff handovers, and overnight quiet periods. The right answer therefore depends on the room, the people using it, and how long the music plays. A short preview in an empty space is not enough.
Hotels often contain several different sound environments. A lobby, restaurant, lounge, and spa need related music but may require different energy and separate active players.
Practical points to check
- Review lobbies, restaurants, bars, gyms, spas, and lounges.
- Separate service rights from local collecting-society obligations.
- Check whether events or live music require different permissions.
- Keep records consistent across properties.
Use music intended for a business
MelloJam is a browser-based background music service for customer-facing businesses. Its catalogue is designed for low-fatigue commercial ambience, and the commercial playback rights covered by the catalogue are included with every plan.
For hotels, start with lists such as Quiet Reception, Evening Restaurant, and Spa Calm. One concurrent player costs $9 per month, and up to 10 concurrent players cost $19 per month. Local public-performance obligations can still vary by country and should be checked separately.
Explore background music for hotels
Open the MelloJam player or compare plans.
Source on collective music rights
WIPO explains how collective management organisations license protected works and collect fees for represented rights holders. The exact system and obligations depend on the national context.
Source: WIPO: Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights