Café
Warm acoustic guitar, easy piano and light bossa nova. Made for coffee shops, bakeries and boutiques.
Music that fits your business, and is fully licensed for it.
Hand-picked channels for stores, restaurants and offices. No ads, no DJs, no licensing headaches. Press play once and it runs all day.
$9.99/month per location, or $89/year
Why so affordable?
Because we own every song we play.
The big background-music services license songs from record labels and pay the organizations that collect royalties on songwriters' behalf. Those costs are built into their prices, which typically run $17 to $54 per month for each location.
We skipped all of that. Every track on Counter Tunes is original music we produce and own outright. There are no labels, no royalty middlemen and no fees to pass along to you. You get professionally programmed music for about the price of two coffees a month.
Why not just play the radio?
The radio wasn't made for your business.
It was made to sell ads to your customers.
- Commercials, including your competitors'. The last thing you want in your store is an ad for the shop down the street.
- DJ chatter, news and traffic reports. None of it sets the mood you're going for.
- Songs you didn't pick. Explicit lyrics, breakup ballads, a hard-rock set during the dinner rush.
- The same songs, again and again. Your staff hears the station's playlist every hour of every shift.
- Static, dead spots and reception problems.
With Counter Tunes, every minute is music chosen to fit your space, and nothing else.
Why not CDs, a phone, or your own Spotify?
Personal music isn't licensed for business use.
Music you buy or stream for yourself is licensed for personal listening. Playing CDs, downloads, or a personal Spotify or Apple Music account over your business's speakers is a public performance. That usually requires separate licenses from music-rights organizations such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR, and each one bills separately. For a small business this can add up to hundreds of dollars a year, and businesses that skip it risk fines.
Streaming apps say so themselves: their terms of service limit personal accounts to personal, non-commercial use.
Counter Tunes is licensed for business use from the start. Our music isn't registered with any of those organizations, because we own it and license it to you directly. Your subscription includes a license certificate you can keep on file.
And practically: CDs skip, scratch, run out after an hour, and need someone to change them. A phone on shuffle stops for calls and notifications, drains its battery, and walks out the door at closing time.
How it compares
| Radio | CDs, phone, personal streaming | Counter Tunes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No ads or DJ talk | No | Yes | Yes |
| Music chosen for your space | No | If you build it | Yes |
| Licensed for business use | Small spaces only | Usually not | Yes, certificate included |
| Starts and stops on your hours | No | No | Yes |
| Holiday music switches itself | No | No | Yes |
| Cost | Free, with ads | Plus licensing fees | $9.99/mo |
Built for businesses, not living rooms
Set it up once. It takes care of itself.
Set it and forget it
Tell it your hours once, and music starts at opening and stops at closing, every day.
Seasons switch themselves
Holiday music from November 1 to December 31, then back to your regular channel automatically.
Consistent volume
Every song is leveled, so there are no sudden loud tracks.
Always the right mood
Instrumental channels built for background listening that fit the room without drawing attention.
Plays on what you have
A computer, tablet or phone connected to your speakers. Install it as an app in one click on Windows, Mac, iPad or Android.
Stays on
If your internet hiccups, it reconnects by itself. No skipping, no ads, no surprises.
The channels
Press play to hear what's on right now.
Retail
Bright, upbeat and positive. Keeps the energy up without taking over the room.
Office
Calm, steady focus music that helps people concentrate and fills awkward silence.
Holiday
The season's classics, freshly arranged, plus original holiday music you won't hear anywhere else. No copyright worries.
More channels coming soon.
Simple pricing
- All channels
- Scheduling and automatic seasons
- The app on any device
- A business-use license certificate
- No contracts, no setup fees, no hardware to buy
Questions
Do I need an ASCAP or BMI license to play your music?
Not for our music. None of it is registered with those organizations, because we own it and license it to you directly. If you also play other music (the radio, your own playlists, a jukebox), you may still need licenses for that music.
Where does your music come from?
Every track is original, produced for Counter Tunes using modern AI music tools under a commercial license, then reviewed and curated by us for business listening. That's how we keep a large, fresh catalog at a price no label-licensed service can match.
What equipment do I need?
Anything that can open a web page and connect to your speakers: a computer, tablet or phone. No special hardware.
Can I use it in more than one location?
Yes. Each location needs its own subscription. Ask us about multi-location pricing.
What happens if my internet drops?
The player reconnects by itself as soon as your connection returns.
Can I cancel?
Anytime. Monthly plans end at the close of the billing month.