What Was Apple Music for Business?

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What Was Apple Music for Business?

For decades, Apple dominated the music market. The company’s revolutionary iPod product put “a thousand songs in your pocket” and introduced an entire generation to playlists and song shuffles. Buoyed by that success, Apple developed a product for retail spaces in 2019.

Apple Music for Business was a partnership between Apple Music and PlayNetwork. Companies could sign up and play music using an interface very similar to the version that powered the iPod.

In the first six months of operation, Apple had signed 25 clients. That’s a paltry performance compared to Spotify’s 60 million paid subscribers.

In 2021, Mood Media purchased PlayNetwork. That merger made Apple’s product a little less necessary. In time, it didn’t make sense to keep providing the service to franchises and small businesses.

Apple quietly shuttered the product and now offers nothing for business clients. But if you’re hoping to stream legal music in your business, you have options.

Alternate Music Streaming Services for Businesses

If you hoped to use Apple's products to fill your company with sound, this news could be incredibly disappointing. But there are plenty of other groups that would love to help you.

This chart can help you understand each option at a glance:

	Pandora CloudCover	SiriusXM for Business	Soundtrack Your Brand	Rockbot	Jukeboxy
Price (starting monthly rate)	$16.95 (when prepaid annually)	$26.95	$39	$25	$24.95
Library size	10,000 artist stations	240+ channels with exclusive business content	100 million songs	18 million	45 million
Benefits	Create custom stations, tap into 200 curated stations, access stations from anywhere	Can use a satellite service when you don’t have high-speed internet	Extensive catalog, ability to make custom playlists for your brand	Includes visual options, like billboards and signage	Audio messaging options, multi-account dashboard
Drawbacks	Must spend more for audio messaging	Moderate price, best performance requires a streaming player	High price	Small library size	Small library size

Pandora CloudCover

Many major companies rely on Pandora CloudCover for legal, customized music solutions. Tap into curated playlists made just for environments like yours, and mix stations to create your own sound and flavor.

Plans start as low as $16.95 per month when prepaid annually, and you can try it for free for 14 days (terms and conditions apply). Every plan comes with protections, as all music included is licensed for commercial use.

SiriusXM for Business

Plug your private SiriusXM player into your company's sound system, and you could be breaking the law. Use SiriusXM for Business and know you're playing music licensed for commercial environments.

Choose from hundreds of channels, or build your own Pandora station for your brand. Plans start at $26.95 per month, and no long-term contracts are required.

Soundtrack Your Brand

Choose from 100 million songs licensed for business with Soundtrack Your Brand, including a few rare gems your customers may be unfamiliar with. Drag any Spotify playlist into your account and start playing tunes, or ask the program to create a lookalike station for even more versatility.

Plans start at $39 per month, but true customization costs more. Try the program for free for 14 days with no credit card required.

Rockbot

With over 18 million songs to choose from, Rockbot offers plug-and-play functionality to clients large and small. Rockbot is one of the only companies in this space to pair soundtrack music with digital signage, so you can communicate with customers in two crucial ways. You must pay more for this service, but it might be worthwhile.

Plans start at $25 per month, and you must buy a $149 media player to connect with your sound system. Visual plans cost more.

Jukeboxy

Jukeboxy contains 45+ million licensed songs, placed into playlists you can choose from to start the music quickly. Control the tunes from any connected device, and tap into audio messaging options to talk with your clients directly.

Plans start at $24.95 per month, with discounts for companies with several locations. Try the program for 14 days with no credit card required.

How to Switch to a Different Service

If you used Apple Music for Business, you’ll need a new sound partner. The steps you’ll take to do so will vary, depending on the new partner you choose.

Typically, these are the steps to take:

Research: Contact each company and ask about their benefits and potential value to your company.
Experiment: Start free trials with each service. Use the same speakers and receivers during each test, and ask your staff and customers what they think of your sound choices.
Pick: Once you’ve found the perfect sound partner, sign a contract and pay your fee.

If you work with a company like Rockbot, your steps may be slightly different. You’ll need to buy one of their digital players to access your music. However, all of the other companies we’ve mentioned will work with the process we’ve outlined.

Why Playing Legal Music in Your Business Matters

Music matters to your customers and employees. The right sounds make spending time in your business a pleasure, but some Music matters to your customers and employees. The right sounds make spending time in your business a pleasure, but some companies break the law with each song they play.

Musicians, composers, and copyright holders have a legal right to payment each time their songs play. If you plug in a personal player, you're not respecting those rights. And you could be charged for each infraction.

Partnering with a company like Pandora CloudCover means playing music legally without chasing down individual contracts. You don't have to worry about lawsuits and inspections, as everything you play is appropriate. It's a great solution, and these companies make it so easy to get started.

Streaming Music Is Big Business

Researchers say that the music streaming market is projected to reach $29.6 billion in 2024. The industry is expected to have an annual growth rate of 4.7% by 2027.

Most consumers are comfortable with personal streaming platforms like Pandora and Spotify. They’re ready to make their own playlists and share them with others. As these consumers become business owners or franchise managers, they want to use the same technology to play music at work.

At the same time, the number of songs released to streaming platforms has, as Goldman Sachs puts it, soared. More and more people are putting their songs on these platforms, making them a go-to choice for new music and emerging artists.

Any business owner would be wise to invest in a streaming partnership to play the right music at the right time for the right people.