1Do you need a music licence?
If customers can hear commercially released music, that is a public performance under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and you need permission. In practice that means TheMusicLicence, the single joint licence PPL and PRS for Music sell together through PPL PRS, because a normal playlist crosses both of their repertoires.
There is no small premises exemption in the UK. The two provisions that came closest, sections 67 and 72(1B)(a) of the Act, were both repealed, the latter by regulation 4(1) of SI 2010/2694. So floor area, seat count and the number of loudspeakers make no difference, and it makes no difference whether the sound comes from a radio, a CD or a streaming account. If it can be heard by customers, it is licensable.
There are also no statutory damages here, as there are in the United States. A rights holder claims damages or an account of profits, with costs and an injunction on top, and PPL PRS can back-date a licence over any period you were playing music without one.
RadioB2B removes the question. Every track is licensed at source through RadioPRO Ltd, a UK collective management organisation, and none of it is in the PRS for Music or PPL repertoire, so no public performance royalty arises on what you play through the service.
2Building the evening curve
Bars live or die on pacing. Start where conversation is easy, lift as the room fills, then pull back deliberately so the close does not feel abrupt.
| Period | What works |
|---|---|
| Opening | Warm and low, 70 to 80 BPM. The first hour is regulars and conversation, not atmosphere. |
| Early evening | Lift to 90 to 100 BPM as after-work trade arrives and the room starts to fill. |
| Peak | Hold 110 to 120 BPM. Energy without volume creep, so nobody has to shout their order. |
| Late | Push slightly to 120 to 125 BPM for the last busy stretch, when the room carries itself. |
| Last call | Drop back under 90 BPM. Slowing the music empties a room more politely than the lights. |
You can try the scheduler on the live console on our home page before signing up for anything.
3Zones: bar, lounge, patio, restrooms
Each independently controlled output is a zone, and each runs its own station, schedule and volume.
- The main bar on the evening curve above.
- A lounge or snug kept several notches quieter, for people who came to talk.
- The patio or beer garden on its own zone, since open air needs different levels and often a curfew.
- Restrooms and corridors, where a low bed of sound is worth more than silence.
4Hardware you already own
There is nothing to buy and nothing to install. The player runs in any browser and casts directly to Sonos, Chromecast and AirPlay. There are iOS and Android apps as well, so staff can change a zone without opening a laptop, and when the internet drops the player keeps going from a cached queue rather than leaving you in silence.
5Events, quiz nights and last call
Record your own audio and schedule it into the rotation. A quiz night reminder at the start of the week, a happy hour prompt at six, or a last call announcement that fires at the same minute every night without anyone remembering to do it.
6What it costs
£179 a year, per year, flat, music included. That covers the full catalog, background music video channels for any screens, the scheduler, your own announcements, staff accounts and the Music Licence Certificate. It does not scale with your square footage or your opening hours, which is the mechanism that makes a PPL PRS bill climb.
For comparison, TheMusicLicence costs £364.62 a year plus VAT for a pub or bar with an audible area up to 400 square metres, and PPL PRS can back-date a licence over any period you were playing music without one. Licence free playlist libraries in the UK sit at about 15 pounds a month plus VAT, and licensed services that still leave you owing PPL PRS run from about 22 to 40 pounds a zone a month. See how the routes compare.
Try it in your own space
Fourteen days free, no card required. Build a day's schedule, cast it to the speakers you already have, and hear how the room changes before you decide anything.
7Questions
Do bars and pubs need a music license?
Yes, if you play commercially released music where customers can hear it. That is a public performance under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. There is no small premises exemption in the UK. The two provisions that came closest, sections 67 and 72(1B)(a) of the Act, were both repealed, so floor area and loudspeaker counts make no difference.
How much does TheMusicLicence cost a bar?
For comparison, TheMusicLicence costs £364.62 a year plus VAT for a pub or bar with an audible area up to 400 square metres, and PPL PRS can back-date a licence over the period you were playing music without one, and bar rates rise with occupancy, whether there is dancing, and whether music is a feature of the business. RadioB2B is a flat £179 a year, including the music.
Can the patio play something different from the bar?
Yes. Each zone runs its own station, schedule and volume, which matters outdoors where levels carry further and local noise rules often apply after a certain hour.
What about live music and DJs?
Those are separate performances and are not covered by this service. RadioB2B covers the music you play through the platform. A live band or a guest DJ performing other repertoire is your own licensing question.
Cost figures are indicative 2026 published minimums and typical market pricing, not quotations. General information, not legal advice. See our Terms of Use and Service Agreement.