Music for Car Dealerships
Car Dealerships playing recorded music publicly require a music licence from the relevant collecting society in their country. BPM recommendations vary by period: Showroom: 70–90 BPM; Service waiting area: 80–100 BPM. Track Studios' AI catalog is not registered with any collecting society — venues using it are not billed for the included music.
BPM Recommendations
| Time Period | BPM Range | Genres | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showroom | 70–90 BPM | Jazz, Lounge, Acoustic, Classic Rock (instrumental) | Slower, sophisticated music during high-consideration purchase decisions reduces anxiety and supports longer conversations between sales staff and customers. |
| Service waiting area | 80–100 BPM | Acoustic Pop, Classic Rock, Easy Listening | — |
Music Licensing for Car Dealerships by Country
| Country | Collecting Societies | Estimated Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | STIM + SAMI | SEK Varies/year |
| Norway | TONO + Gramo | NOK Varies/year |
| Denmark | KODA + Gramex | DKK Varies/year |
| Finland | Teosto + Gramex | EUR Varies/year |
| Germany | GEMA + GVL | EUR Varies/year |
| Netherlands | Buma/Stemra + SENA | EUR Varies/year |
| Belgium | SABAM + PlayRight | EUR Varies/year |
| France | SACEM | EUR Varies/year |
| United Kingdom | PRS + PPL | GBP Varies/year |
| United States | ASCAP + BMI + SESAC + GMR + SoundExchange | USD Varies/year |
| Canada | SOCAN + Re:Sound | CAD Varies/year |
| Australia | APRA AMCOS + PPCA | AUD Varies/year |
Royalty-Free Music for Car Dealerships
Track Studios provides business music that is not registered with any collecting society. Car Dealerships using the included catalog are not invoiced by STIM, GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, or other PROs.
Start free trialFrequently Asked Questions
- Do car dealerships need a music licence?
- Yes. In most countries, playing recorded music in a car dealership is a public performance that requires a licence from the relevant collecting society — for example, GEMA in Germany, TheMusicLicence (PRS + PPL) in the UK, or ASCAP and BMI in the USA. Track Studios' AI catalog is not registered with any of these societies, so car dealerships using it are not invoiced for the included music.
- Can car dealerships use Spotify legally?
- No. Spotify's Terms of Service (§1.2) restrict use to "personal, non-commercial purposes." Using Spotify in a car dealership violates these terms and may also expose the business to claims from collecting societies for the underlying music rights. Spotify for Business was discontinued in 2019.
- What is the ideal BPM for car dealerships?
- BPM recommendations vary by time period. During showroom, 70–90 BPM is recommended (genres: Jazz, Lounge). During service waiting area, 80–100 BPM is recommended (genres: Acoustic Pop, Classic Rock).
- How can car dealerships avoid collecting society fees?
- Use music that is not registered with collecting societies. Track Studios uses an AI-generated catalog that is not registered with STIM, GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, or any other collecting society. Car Dealerships using the included catalog are not invoiced by these organisations.
- What happens if a car dealership is caught playing music without a licence?
- The collecting society can issue a civil claim for back-fees (typically covering 2–3 years of unlicensed use), plus additional damages. In Germany, the Berlin fitness studio case resulted in €42,000 in damages. In the USA, statutory damages can reach $150,000 per infringed work.