Turn Up Profits: Leveraging Bar Music to Drive Sales & Repeat Customers

Music directly influences whether patrons have a good time in your bar or pub.

A report from Gant found that customers stayed 42% longer in sales environments where music was playing and if music was a good brand fit, sales increased by 37%.

The perfect bar soundtrack can make time feel like it’s flying by. Customers may sing along, order another drink, and ultimately spend more money. Good music can be crucial to your bar’s success. 

Choosing Bar Music: An Art

The size and style of your bar should also influence the background music you play overhead. 

For example, bars with multiple locations can create brand consistency and familiarity by playing more popular, well-known music overhead. Alternatively, single-location and local bars may consider playing newer, lesser-known artists to create a more unique vibe. 

Choosing the right music for your bar is an art. That’s why Pandora CloudCover’s expert musicologists curate stations best for every type of bar out there. 

This article will cover various music considerations and our top music recommendations based on your bar’s size and style.

The Impact of Choosing The Right Music For Your Bar

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.

But good music does more than influence customers’ moods. It can also impact your business’s bottom line.

Background music can influence:

• Customer retention and table turnover rate: Length of time each customer spends in your bar
• Revenue per seat: The amount of money each patron spends in your bar
• Brand awareness and loyalty: Customers’ likelihood to remember your bar and return 
  ‍

“Happy customers stay longer and spend more. And while money can’t buy happiness, the right music gets pretty close.”

Customer Expectations When Choosing a Bar Establishment

Music isn’t simply a nice-to-have in your bar. Customers expect to hear appropriate music playing overhead. In fact, 63% of individuals expect bars to be playing music when they walk in.

How important is background music to customers?

• 85% are happier if they like the music selection
• 83% agree that music creates a more memorable experience where you want to come back
• 82% agree that the type of music tells you a lot about what type of establishment it is
• Over 53% of individuals will leave if they don’t like the music being played
• 58% feel negatively if no music is playing
• Roughly 30% of people will instantly leave if no music is playing

The Influence of Music on Spending & Loyalty

A study by BMI and NRG found that music significantly impacts consumer behavior in bars and restaurants. First and foremost, playing great music will get customers into your space. 61% of customers will go to a bar just for the music. 

Not only will patrons hang out longer and return more often if they like your music, they’ll even spend more. 79% of the above stay longer if good music is playing, and 58% will buy more drinks just to hear more of the music they’re enjoying.

Perhaps even more importantly, good background music will keep happy customers coming back. 86% are very likely to return if they are happy with the music.

Music can also help expand your customer base via word-of-mouth referrals. 71% of bar patrons are more likely to share on social media if they’re happy with the music. 63% will go out of their way to recommend a bar to friends and family if they like the music. 

Our Expert Musicologists Build The Perfect Bar Playlist

At Pandora CloudCover, expert musicologists spend every day helping bar owners and managers craft the perfect music stations and playlists. They consider your location, type of bar, customer demographics, brand, decor, and more when picking the perfect songs to stream overhead. 

“Your bar’s music is an extension of your brand. We’re here to help create an ambiance that complements everything about your business.” - Nate, Pandora CloudCover Musicologist

Understand Your Customer Base

One of the first places to start when choosing music is with your customer base. Your most loyal customers and regulars likely share a couple key characteristics when it comes to demographics.

A few key factors to consider about your target customers:

• Age
• Gender
• Interests
• Income level
• Relationship status
• Family dynamic

Audio Quality Is Key

Once you’ve got the perfect music mix, consider how you play it. Aside from a quality sound system and speakers, volume is another key consideration.

Over 53% of customers consider volume when entering an establishment. And different styles of bars require different volumes of music to fit their unique atmospheres. 

Wine bars and lounges, for example, work to create intimate atmospheres that cater to conversation. Too loud of music would interfere with customers’ ability to hear one another, causing them to spend less time and money in your bar.

Pubs and breweries, however, work to create a lively, vibrant ambiance. Louder music enhances this vibe, and customers would likely expect to hear loud music upon entering your space.

Ensure Legal Compliance with Music Licensing

We all know music is essential to any bar’s success. 

Even still, Music Business Worldwide found that 78% of small-to-midsize businesses currently misuse personal streaming accounts to play music to their customers. Unfortunately, those businesses are streaming music illegally and risking sizable fines and penalties for doing so.

One Las Vegas karaoke bar understands the legal implications of streaming unlicensed music all too well. The Apollo and its Kamu lounge recently faced a $264 million lawsuit for their YouTube streaming of music owned by Sybersound Records Inc. without a business subscription.

To stay compliant, bar owners and managers need to secure licensing for music you intend to play. You can do this via individual agreements with performing rights organizations or through background music services like Pandora CloudCover.

Common Mistakes for Bar Owners & Managers to Avoid

A lot of thought and effort goes into playing music at your bar. Song choice isn’t the only choice that goes into an effective background music strategy.

Aside from the biggest music mistake possible — not playing music at all — some of the most common mistakes we see are:

• Too small of a catalog: Playing the same songs over and over
• Too obscure of songs: Playing unfamiliar or less well-known music 
• Brand mismatch: Not aligning your music with your brand
• Not dayparting: Playing the same music regardless of time of day
  ‍

“Curating music for your bar is an art. It doesn’t stop at song choice. We’re considering everything from era and genre to tempo and time of day.” - Nate, Pandora CloudCover Musicologist

Matching The Right Sound by Bar Type

The type of bar you run as well as your brand itself play pivotal roles in your music selection. Choosing the best music for your bar is so important, it can impact your bottom line.

Remember that Gant report? Curating music that feels natural in your space instead of random has the potential of increasing sales by 37%.

Playing Music Based on Your Type of Bar

Unsure how to differentiate your bar’s music and playlists from every other bar out there? 

This chart can help you understand what type of music to play, given your type of bar.

How Pandora CloudCover Helps Bar Establishments

Still not sure where to start? Pandora CloudCover has music solutions for bars of all types and sizes. 

Our pre-made bar stations are plug and play. All you have to do is sign up and start streaming. Try it free for 14 days. Terms and conditions apply. 

Or, our musicologists are happy to curate sounds and songs specifically for your brand. Particularly if you have multiple locations or are looking for a very specific brand fit, contact us for a custom consultation and quote. 

Let Pandora CloudCover handle everything from start to finish, so you can focus on your customers and bar while we maximize the experience through music. Don’t forget, we cover everything from a licensing and legal perspective as well, so you stay safe and compliant.

References

Value of Music Research. (July 2022). BMI. 
78% of small-to-midsize businesses in the US currently misuse personal streaming accounts to play music to their customers. It’s costing the music industry $1.38 billion per year. (February 2024). Music Business Worldwide.
Styles of background music and consumption in a bar: An empirical evaluation. (December 2006). Science Direct.
The Influence Of Music On Consumer Behavior. (2012). Production and Operations Management Society. 
The Subliminal Influence of Ambient Music on Shoppers. Psychologist Word. 
The Combined Effect of Color and Music on Customer Satisfaction in Hotel Bars. (November 2009). Taylor and Francis Online.
Does Playing Music Increase Sales? The Power of Music in Retail Stores. (March 2025). Forbes.