Why hotels pay the highest PRO fees — and how to stop
Hotels face a uniquely complex music licensing situation. Unlike a single-room business, a hotel has multiple areas — each potentially subject to separate PRO calculations. In the US, ASCAP and BMI calculate fees based on the number of rooms, the number of public areas, and whether those areas have live or recorded music. In Germany, GEMA charges per square meter and per area type. In the UK, PRS calculates based on room count and public performance areas.
The result: a mid-size hotel with a lobby, restaurant, bar and spa can easily pay €1,000–3,000 per year in combined PRO and neighbouring rights fees — before factoring in the annual renewal paperwork.
BackgroundMusicForBusiness.com eliminates all of this with one flat monthly fee, because our music is not registered with any collecting society anywhere in the world.
Music for every area of your hotel
Different spaces in your hotel need different atmospheres. Our radio channels are designed to match each environment:
🏛️ Lobby & Reception
First impressions matter. Our Elegant channel — sophisticated jazz and lounge — sets the right tone from the moment guests walk in.
🍽️ Hotel Restaurant
Elegant for dinner service, Upbeat for breakfast. Switch channels anytime from any device, no hardware required.
🧘 Spa & Wellness
Our Relax channel — soft, ambient, unhurried — is specifically designed for wellness environments where atmosphere is everything.
🍸 Hotel Bar
Upbeat for daytime, Party for evening happy hour. One link, one tap, the right music for every moment.
🏋️ Gym & Fitness Room
Our Energy channel delivers high-tempo music designed for workout environments — keeping guests motivated without any PRO fees.
🏊 Pool & Outdoor Areas
Any device with an internet connection becomes a music source. No special hardware, no installation, no technician required.
How much do hotels actually pay for music licensing?
PRO fees for hotels vary significantly by country and property size, but here are realistic estimates for a mid-size hotel with 50 rooms:
| Fee type | Traditional PRO licensing | BackgroundMusicForBusiness.com |
|---|---|---|
| Composition rights (ASCAP/BMI/GEMA/PRS) | €400–800/year | Not applicable |
| Neighbouring rights | €200–500/year | Not applicable |
| Annual renewal paperwork | Required every year | Never |
| Music streaming service | Separate cost | Included |
| Compliance certificate | Not available | Included, personalized |
| Total annual cost | €600–1,300+/year | €119.88/year |
No special hardware. No installation. No technician.
Many hotel music solutions require proprietary hardware, installation by a technician, and long-term contracts. BackgroundMusicForBusiness.com works on any device already in your hotel — a tablet at reception, a phone in the spa, a smart TV in the bar.
You receive a personal link by email. Open it on any device. Connect to your existing speakers via Bluetooth or a standard audio cable. Select your channel. Press play. The music runs continuously, 24 hours a day, without ads, without interruptions, without anyone having to manage it.
Total setup time: under two minutes.
What happens if a licensing inspector visits your hotel?
With every subscription, you receive a personalized Compliance Certificate confirming that all music played through our service is not registered with any PRO or collecting society worldwide. In the event of any inquiry from ASCAP, BMI, PRS, GEMA, SACEM or any equivalent organization, simply present the certificate. Our music is outside their jurisdiction — they have no legal basis to collect fees for it.
If you receive any formal communication from a collecting society, contact us immediately. We will provide all technical documentation needed to resolve the situation at no additional cost.
- All 6 radio channels included
- Lobby, restaurant, spa, bar, gym — all covered
- Personalized compliance certificate
- Works on any existing device
- No contracts, cancel anytime
- 7-day free trial, no card required