A well-designed music system, when managed effectively and regularly fine-tuned with thoughtful playlist adjustments, plays a crucial role in branding and setting a restaurant or bar apart in a competitive market.
Ola Sars is the founder and CEO of Soundtrack, which services over 80,000 businesses in 74 countries with a music catalog of over 100 million tracks. Before founding Soundtrack, Sars was the co-founder of Beats Music, which Apple bought for $3 billion and transformed into Apple Music. In a joint venture with Spotify, Sars launched Spotify for Business in 2013, a music streaming service specifically designed for businesses.
Sars says that the choice of music can significantly impact the atmosphere and guest experience in a bar or restaurant and can influence behaviors such as how much time and money is spent.
He points to a study from MRC Data that found that 84% of guests notice the background music.
“Another study has shown that customers spend around 42% more time in an establishment when music is playing,” Sars says. “The same study cited that sales increased by an average of 37% when brand-fit music was played instead of random music.”
That’s why it’s important that a bar or restaurant treat music as a strategic business asset versus merely background sound.
“The right soundtrack – licensed, well-engineered and data-driven – turns foot traffic into loyal regulars and transforms ambience into revenue,” Sars says. And a well-designed music system contributes to branding and differentiation in a competitive market.
According to Sars, a whopping 93% of the restaurant, hospitality and retail leaders recently surveyed say that music has helped differentiate themselves from their competitors. He says a brand’s sound is the sonic expression of a business’s identity and should align with a brand’s visual, emotional, experiential and cultural vibe.
“When guests can easily tie the music, scent, and decor to a business, it helps them emotionally connect and builds loyalty. This is especially important if you have multiple locations, as you’ll want the customer to have a cohesive experience each time they interact with your brand,” Sars says. “Bars and restaurants with multiple locations should be open to having variations in their music strategy based on the customer demographics in each of the different communities they serve.”
Founded in Houston in 1995, Woody’s Brands operates a diverse portfolio of bars, restaurants, and social gaming venues in 45 locations across Texas and Louisiana.
At Woody’s Brands, they work with professional installers and rely heavily on their expertise to select the right speakers and sound equipment. Each setup is customized based on the specific needs of the venue, taking into account factors like location, atmosphere and whether the space is indoors or outdoors.
“This ensures the sound quality fits the size and layout perfectly, creating the best experience for guests,” says Bob Wilson, CEO and principal shareholder of Woody’s Brands. “A well-designed playlist helps create a unique atmosphere that resonates with your target audience, making your bar or restaurant memorable and distinct from others. Consistently delivering the right sound experience reinforces your brand identity and keeps guests coming back.”
The choice of music in a bar or restaurant is often a strategic decision that can shape the entire guest experience. “By carefully considering genre, tempo, and volume, establishments can create an environment that enhances mood, influences behavior, and ultimately contributes to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and profitability,” says Brad Kirby, vice president of operations at Sweetwater Integration. “Music can create an emotional connection, and when paired with good company and great food the experience is memorable.”
When choosing speakers for a bar or restaurant, Kirby says it’s best to take a practical approach that considers the size of the space and the kind of music you’ll be playing. First, think about what the main purpose of the speakers is – whether they are background music, supporting live bands, DJs, dancing, or specific performances. After that, it’s important to look at the venue’s size and layout.
“Factors like total square footage, ceiling height, the shape of the space, how sound absorbs or reflects, and other noise sources such as the kitchen, street noise, HVAC systems, and how many people are there all play a role in picking the right sound equipment,” Kirby says.
Professionals often use a process called speaker modeling to help with this. As Kirby explains, it’s a technical way of predicting how sound will behave in a space before purchasing or installing anything, making it much more reliable than guesswork. To do this, you’ll need detailed plans or blueprints of the venue that include measurements – like length, width, height—and info about wall thickness, wall materials, noise levels, and the placement of features like pillars, windows, doors, the bar, kitchen, restrooms, seating areas, and the stage. This helps ensure you get the right sound levels and quality in every part of the venue.
“Sound should also be treated like your kitchen or bar setup – not a last-minute plug-in,” says Bobby Carey, creative director at Proof Creative. “What works in a 30-seat bistro won’t scale to a multi-zone rooftop. Room materials, ceiling height, and layout all impact acoustics. The goal isn’t loudness, it’s even coverage.” That means proper zoning, directional speakers, and control by area.
“A lot of new venues default to consumer brands like Sonos – which work until they don't. Lag, dropout, or an app crash mid-service leaves the room feeling flat,” Carey adds. “Music is emotional architecture. It defines pacing, energy, and memory. One of my early mentors said something that stuck, ‘A guest will forget a bad drink if the lighting and music are right. But the world’s best cocktail won’t save a space with bad ambiance.’”
Public performance licenses also are non-negotiable. Whether it’s background playlists, DJs, or live sets, bars and restaurants are legally required to license the music being played. Commercial venues must hold licenses from all major U.S. performing-rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR). The simplest route is to subscribe to a B2B music service that bundles those licenses in one subscription and issues a compliance certificate, avoiding the risk of fines for misuse.
“Live music and video content may also need separate licenses. Skipping this isn’t just risky – it’s disrespectful to the artists you’re leaning on to set the tone,” Carey says.
Sars points out that single-location taprooms and global QSR chains alike can shave thousands in fees if they subscribe to streaming legally. B2B music streaming services offer commercially licensed music catalogs that satisfy the music needs for businesses of all types and sizes and made-for-business controls that make deploying a music strategy easier than ever.
What’s more, balancing music volume should complement rather than overwhelm the dining or drinking experience. Aim for 65–70 dB in dining zones (conversation-friendly) and 75–80 dB at the bar (energy without shouting).
“Multi-zone audio setups allow different areas of a venue to have distinct sound profiles, such as mellow music in dining areas and more energetic playlists at the bar, offering a more intentional, guest-centric experience,” Sars says. “Centralized AV systems combined with a B2B streaming service make it easier for staff to control the mood across the venue and quickly adapt to shifts in time of day or crowd dynamics, ensuring a seamless guest journey from open to close.”
Proper speaker placement and volume control also prevent areas from being too loud or too quiet, allowing guests to converse comfortably without straining to hear or shout over music, leading to longer stays and greater satisfaction.
“The best practice is to pay close attention to sound levels in relation to the number of customers present,” Wilson says. “Adjusting the volume so the music complements the environment without overwhelming conversation is key. As the crowd size changes, the music volume should be tweaked accordingly to maintain a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone.”
Woody’s Brands manages music preferences by carefully controlling the playlist to match the time of day and the crowd’s vibe. For example, during happy hour and early service, they play lower BPM tracks to create a relaxed atmosphere.
“As the night progresses and the crowd becomes livelier, the music tempo and energy increase to match the mood,” Wilson says. “This approach helps us keep the atmosphere just right for each part of the day or event.”
So is live music or streaming the way to go? As Sars explains, streaming is the workhorse as it covers every open hour, costs less per guest and guarantees licensed content.
“Live acts add a performative element but only when the incremental check lift outweighs the costs for proper licenses and performers,” Sars says. “Most operators run streaming as the baseline, sprinkle in live performances for marquee nights and fill set breaks with the same brand-fit playlist to keep momentum, and compliance, intact.”
For Wilson, choosing between live music and streaming depends on a venue’s goals and budget. Live music can be costly but has helped some bars and restaurants build a strong reputation as live music destinations.
“However, for most, streaming offers a more practical and flexible solution,” Wilson says. “It allows for consistent, customizable music that fits the atmosphere without the higher expenses and logistical challenges of live performances.”
Carey agrees that live music builds atmosphere, encourages dwell time, and makes memories – but comes with costs: sound control, space, licensing, and higher ops load. Streaming offers reliability, scalability, and curation at lower overhead.
“For high-turnover or small-format venues, it’s often the smart play. For destination venues aiming to create moments worth sharing, live can be the move. Choose what aligns with your brand, not just your playlist,” Carey says. “Music is a brand asset. It signals who you are and what guests should feel, long before they taste anything. A recognizable sonic identity – whether it’s vinyl soul, jazz, or well-paced lo-fi – creates a sensory signature that guests take with them. If someone asks, ‘What’s playing?’ – that’s a win.”
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