Music directly influences whether patrons have a good time in your bar or pub.
The perfect bar soundtrack can seem to make time fly by. Patrons may sing along, order another drink, and spend a little more money. Adding in that good music could be crucial to your bar’s success.
But you'll need to take very special steps in order to find the right music, and you'll need to make sure you have a legal right to use that soundtrack.

What Music Can You Play?
Songs aren't created by algorithms. They're created by real people, and those people expect to be paid for their work.
The fees they pull down don't end when their recording hits the airwaves. Each time that piece of music is played, either in its original form or by a cover artist, the creator of the piece should get a fee.
The Texas Music Office reminds bar and restaurant owners that they aren't exempt from this rule even if they're playing music from a personal player like an iPhone. License fees paid when you purchase that music apply only to personal use, not music played publically.
The Texas Music Office says there are exemptions for food and drinking establishments under 3,750 square feet. If you own a business of this size, you can play a public radio station. But you still must follow the rules about recorded and live music.
It can be tempting to blow off these rules and play whatever you'd like to play, but the fines for non-compliance can be steep. The Daily Beast reports that a bar in North Carolina was fined $30,450 for playing just four songs without a license. The bar was also hit with $10,700 in attorneys’ fees. The owners of that bar had to close it down.
There are three major organizations that track licensing issues, and they don’t work together. In order to play any recorded piece you'd like to play and to let a live band do the same, you would need a relationship with all three entities, and each entity would require a separate fee.
Commercial music streaming services work with these organizations to offer clear, complete licensing for businesses.
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Start Your Free TrialChoosing the Right Music
Once you've determined that you would like to play music in your establishment, you'll need to find the right tunes to set the mood. The ambiance in a bar or pub is crucial to its success.
For example, in a study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, researchers attempted to break down the connection between bars and violence. Did violent patrons make the space violent?
In this study of 327 frequent bar patrons, researchers found that the characteristics of the bar predicted violence. In other words, the violent people didn't enter a peaceful bar and transform it. Instead, these people chose bars like them.
Music helps to create a sense of affiliation. Spaces in which familiar music is playing seem somehow familiar. That means choosing music your ideal patron might like is absolutely vital to your long-term success as a bar owner.
The experience your patrons expect can also influence the music you should select. When your customers come into your bar, they may be expecting any of the following:
- Low light, loud music, and dancing
- Kid-friendly, light-drinking patrons
- Spirited conversations and loud cursing
- An experience similar to one they might find in an English pub
In a study in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, researchers found that people in bars like music that helps to amplify their current mood. If they're feeling quiet and calm, they'd like similarly quiet and calm music. If they're feeling excited, they'd like exciting music.
Think about what sorts of activities your patrons engage in right before they come to your bar, and then think about what they tend to do while they're in your establishment. You should be able to use that research to find music that matches the vibe your patrons are hoping for.
Don't forget that the volume of the music matters just as much as the music itself. In a study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, scientists found that loud music led to increased beer consumption regardless of the type of music played.
In other words, the volume mattered more than the beat, the words, or the feeling. Just sheer noise made people drink more. Don't forget to factor that into your research.
Choosing a Background Music Provider
Playing the right music in bars and pubs is essential. But finding the perfect playlist isn't easy, especially when you’re busy running a business. A background music provider can help.
A professional background music provider can survey your patrons, staff, and stakeholders to determine the right songs for your brand. This team can set up a playlist for you and get the songs playing almost immediately. A dashboard puts you in control, so you can change the sounds at any point.
A background music provider works directly with song copyright holders, ensuring that everything you play is legal. Never worry about surprise visits and associated fines. You’ll always be in compliance.
Variety Is Key
Just like every bar is different, so is the playlist at every bar. Music that seems perfectly aligned with one type of customer might seem inappropriate for another. Since there are so many bars and different bar patrons, it's impossible to create a single playlist that’s right for each environment.
In addition, many bars rotate their music selections throughout the night. They might play quieter, blues-type music early in the evening when the party's just starting, and they might play dance classics late at night when patrons feel tipsy and nostalgic.
That’s why having a wide variety of music in bars and pubs is so important. When you have many options to choose from, you’ll be able to keep the party going.

Why Where You Play Your Music From Matters
You already know that you can’t just play music from your phone or personal music streaming account in your bar or pub. You must have a commercial streaming subscription to legally play music in your bar.
There are a lot of commercial streaming services out there, such as Soundtrack Your Band, Pandora for Business, Cloud Cover Music, and Rockbot. With all these services, you’ll get a public performance license to legally play the songs in your bar or pub.
The key is to choose a service that makes the entire process easy for you.
For example, some services make it simple to customize playlists, and you can schedule playlists for certain times. This ensures the music fits the time of day perfectly, helping to promote the best atmosphere that will encourage patrons to stay and order more drinks.
Top Songs People Never Get Tired of Hearing in Bars
Some songs are just classic bar songs. When people hear these songs, it makes them want to belt out the words, sway to the music, and order another round.
Here are a few of the top songs people never get tired of hearing in bars:
- ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
- ‘Living on a Prayer’ by Bon Jovi
- ‘Friends in Low Places’ by Garth Brooks
- ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ by Pat Benatar
- ‘Raise Your Glass’ by Pink
- ‘Closing Time’ by Semisonic
- ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ by Def Leppard
- ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen
- ‘American Girl’ by Tom Petty
Best Playlists for Bars & Pubs
1. Dance
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1py9L0HxEVKvYuHm1HYRTO?si=cldaooh3SU-ANdfOETGtuQ
Song: 365
Artist(s): Zedd, Katy Perry
Song: Ain't My Fault
Artist(s): Zara Larsson
Song: All Good
Artist(s): Ciara
Song: Charisma (feat. Jamie Lidell)
Artist(s): Oliver, Jamie Lidell
Song: Clap Your Hands (feat. Ava Max)
Artist(s): Le Youth, Ava Max
Song: High and Low
Artist(s): Empire of the Sun
Song: Hotter Than Hell - Matoma Remix
Artist(s): Dua Lipa, Matoma
Song: I Need Your Love (feat. Ellie Goulding)
Artist(s): Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding
Song: I'd Do It Again
Artist(s): Gigamesh, Gavin Turek
Song: Jackie Chan
Artist(s): Tiësto, Dzeko, Preme, Post Malone
2. Aggressive
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3PwGUZsdlu3ac7TZCu1djL?si=2Mv-CNjsR4aGtJnPAnEDUw
Song: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Mono Version
Artist(s): The Rolling Stones
Song: Any Way You Want It
Artist(s): Journey
Song: Are You Gonna Go My Way
Artist(s): Lenny Kravitz
Song: Baba O'Riley
Artist(s): The Who
Song: Ballroom Blitz
Artist(s): Sweet
Song: Born To Be Wild - Single Version
Artist(s): Steppenwolf
Song: Edge of Seventeen
Artist(s): Stevie Nicks
Song: Facing My Fear
Artist(s): Cortes
Song: Go
Artist(s): The Black Keys
Song: Ready To Let Go
Artist(s): Cage The Elephant
3. Relaxing
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3HVbM3pMMh8rIAXjSZoviD?si=imgrA7U-Trixsa0Q5PVW8g
Song: All Blues
Artist(s): Miles Davis
Song: So What
Artist(s): Miles Davis
Song: (Love Is) The Tender Trap
Artist(s): Frank Sinatra
Song: Beautiful Love (Take 1)
Artist(s): Bill Evans Trio
Song: Darn That Dream
Artist(s): George Shearing, The Montgomery Brothers
Song: (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
Artist(s): Nat King Cole
Song: Pick Yourself Up
Artist(s): Gregory Porter
Song: Autumn In New York
Artist(s): Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong
Song: On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Artist(s): Billie Holiday
Song: Prelude To A Kiss
Artist(s): Sarah Vaughan
4. Country
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50HykbYBfGIAmA9FxceHho
Song: Drinking Class
Artist(s): Lee Brice
Song: Buy My Own Drinks
Artist(s): Runaway June
Song: Drink All Day
Artist(s): Jake Owen
Song: Drink in My Hand
Artist(s): Eric Church
Song: Drink Myself Single
Artist(s): Sunny Sweeney
Song: Drinkin’ and Dialin’
Artist(s): Darius Rucker
Song: Drinkin’ Town With a Football Problem
Artist(s): Billy Currington
Song: Fix a Drink
Artist(s): Chris Janson
Song: If You’re Drinkin’
Artist(s): Ryan Robinette
Song: One More Drinkin’ Song
Artist(s): Jerrod Niemann
5. R&B/Neo-Soul/Hip Hop
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4pkJLEhEKcKzWutOjz1GcY
Song: Didn’t Cha Know
Artist(s): Erykah Badu
Song: Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)
Artist(s): Four Tops
Song: All My People
Artist(s): Kindred the Family Soul
Song: Love Again
Artist(s): Daniel Caesar, Brandy
Song: Nakamarra
Artist(s): Hiatus Kaiyote
Song: Cure
Artist(s): Moonchild
Song: All Falls Down
Artist(s): Kanye West, Syleena Johnson
Song: Another Life
Artist(s): D’Angelo
Song: Apartment (feat. Benny Sings)
Artist(s): Free Nationals, Benny Sings
Song: Can I Kick It?
Artist(s): A Tribe Called Quest
Song: Getting Up
Artist(s): Q-Tip
Let Us Help You
At Cloud Cover Music, we specialize in matching the right music with the right venue, at prices that are reasonable and easy to understand. We take care of all the legal issues, so you can focus on growing your bar or pub.
We are connected with hundreds of bars and pubs across the country, and we'd love to work with you. Contact us and let's get started.
References
What Every Bar and Restaurant Owner Should Know About Playing Music in Their Establishment. (March 2012). Texas Music Office.
BMI Reminds Ohio Bar: Cover Songs Don't Come for Free. (March 2014). Daily Beast.
Characteristics of Violent Bars and Bar Patrons. (January 2015). Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
The Combined Effect of Color and Music on Customer Satisfaction in Hotel Bars. (November 2009). Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management.
Sound Level of Environmental Music and Drinking Behavior: A Field Experiment with Beer Drinkers. (September 2008). Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.