From global convenience chains like 7-Eleven to fast-growing coffee brands like Kopi Kenangan, the right music for retail stores shapes customer mood, influences shopping behavior, and strengthens brand identity.
Today, retailers are shifting away from expensive, complex traditional licensing models and embracing AI-generated, royalty-free background music. At the forefront of this shift is SOUNDRAW, an ethical AI music platform empowering businesses to create unlimited, customizable, commercial-safe music for their stores.
This guide covers everything retail operators need to know: including licensing rules, ambiance tips, and real-world examples of how businesses use AI to build a consistent sonic identity.
Why Background Music Matters in Retail
Music affects how long customers stay, how they feel, and how they shop.
Studies in retail psychology show that:
- Slow music can increase dwell time
- Upbeat music can boost perceived store energy
- Brand-consistent music enhances loyalty
- Wrong or mismatched music can hurt sales or ambience
This makes retail background music one of the most low-cost, high-impact methods to elevate the in-store experience.
Retail leaders know that music needs to be:
- Consistent across locations
- Legally licensed for commercial use
- Brand-appropriate and customizable
- Simple to manage and scale
This is exactly where AI-driven background music comes in.
Why Retailers Are Switching to AI Music
Traditional retail music systems rely on:
- Complicated royalty structures
- Expensive public performance licenses
- Limited personalization
- Repetitive playlists
- Vendor lock-in
SOUNDRAW solves these issues by providing unlimited AI-generated tracks that retailers can customize by:
- Mood
- Genre
- Energy
- Length
- Instruments
And because SOUNDRAW music is ethically trained and 100% original, businesses get:
- Royalty-free music for retail
- Commercial-safe usage
- No copyright risk
- No performing rights fees
- No costly retail music license requirements
It is even possible to create similar music based on tracks the user has generated with SOUNDRAW. This is ideal for chains with many stores that need a scalable solution - such as Kopi Kenangan, an Indonesian coffee chain and 7-Eleven.
Case Study: How Kopi Kenangan Powers 300+ Coffee Shops With Soundraw
Kopi Kenangan (Kenangan Coffee) is one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing coffee chains, operating hundreds of locations.
Using SOUNDRAW’s Store BGM Plan, they power the ambience across 300+ coffee shops with:
- Custom AI-generated playlists
- Mood-based atmospheres for mornings, afternoons, and evenings
- Fresh, non-repetitive tracks that rotate constantly
- Full access to all SOUNDRAW web-app features
Their goal:
Create a consistent “Kenangan sound” that enhances the café experience without legal or operational complexity.
With AI music, their stores achieve:
- A warm, relaxing morning vibe
- Energetic midday ambience
- Calmer evening playlists
All while staying completely copyright-safe.
How Convenience & Retail Chains Like 7-Eleven Can Benefit
1. High foot traffic → music needs to be subtle but energizing
AI allows retailers to choose music that supports customer flow without being distracting.
2. Time-of-day automation
Morning shifts may need calmer tunes, while evening hours need higher energy.
3. Consistency across hundreds of locations
Using one AI system ensures a unified brand sound.
4. No licensing headaches
Convenience stores avoid costly public performance licenses when using royalty-free AI tracks.
5. Fast scale-up
With AI, a chain can deploy customized playlists to every location in minutes.
Top Benefits of Using AI-Generated Music for Stores
1. Cost-Effective (No Retail Music Licensing Needed)
Traditional “retail music licenses” cost thousands yearly.
With SOUNDRAW, music is royalty-free, removing:
- Performance royalties
- Publishing fees
- PRO obligations
- Multiple licensing bodies
Retailers pay one predictable subscription.
2. Unlimited, Ever-Fresh Music
No more repetitive playlists. AI creates new music endlessly so customers never experience music fatigue.
3. Fully Customizable Ambience
Choose the exact vibe you want:
- Chill & laid-back
- Upbeat & modern
- Minimal & clean
- Corporate
- Lo-fi, pop, electronic, acoustic, ambient, etc.
Perfect for:
- Fashion stores
- Convenience stores
- Beauty and cosmetic shops
- Supermarkets
- Coffee chains
- Retail showrooms
- Electronics stores
- Events
4. Brand-Consistent Sound Identity
Every brand today needs a sound, just like a visual identity.
AI lets you create a sonic fingerprint that customers remember.
5. Scalable Across Locations
Whether you have 1 shop or 1,000, SOUNDRAW lets your team generate all the music you need.
What About Music Licensing in Retail? (Important!)
Can I legally play music in my shop? Yes, but NOT from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or personal streaming services.
Those platforms only allow personal use, not commercial use.
If you play copyrighted music in your business without a proper commercial license, you risk:
- Fines
- Legal action
- Back-payment of royalties
Retail stores typically need licenses from PROs (ASCAP, BMI, etc.), or they must use a commercial music provider.
How to Legally Play Music in Your Retail Store
Here are your legal options:
Option 1: Use a business-specific music streaming service
These include services like Soundtrack Your Brand, CloudCover, or Amazon Music for Business. They include licensing fees in their subscriptions.
Option 2: Use Royalty-Free Music or AI-Generated Music
This is exactly where SOUNDRAW’s Enterprise and Store BGM plans provides a huge advantage.
When you use SOUNDRAW:
- All tracks come with commercial rights
- You don’t need a retail music license
- You can legally play the music in your store
- You can scale across unlimited locations (enterprise plans)
- You can cusomize the music to your liking
Option 3: Play music you own the full copyright to
Rare for most businesses, but possible.
What to Avoid (Important for Retailers)
❌ Using personal Spotify or Apple Music
These are never legal for business use.
❌ Ignoring licensing responsibilities
Fines can be significant.
❌ Playing copyrighted music without permission
Retail stores are considered “public spaces.”
❌ Using playlists created for personal entertainment
They are not authorized for commercial broadcasting.
Best Music to Play in Retail Stores (AI-Powered Recommendations)
Depending on your brand:
- Fashion stores: Upbeat, modern pop, or electronic.
- Coffee shops & cafés: Lo-fi, chill, acoustic, warm ambience.
- Convenience stores: Light electronic, low-distraction beats, rhythmic ambience.
- Beauty stores: Relaxed, clean, minimal soundscapes.
- Tech & gadget stores: Modern electronic, futuristic ambienc
SOUNDRAW lets you generate all of these instantly. Try it free now.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I legally play music in my business?
You must either get a commercial music license or use royalty-free or AI-generated music like SOUNDRAW that already includes commercial rights.
2. Can I play music in my shop from Spotify or Apple Music?
No. Personal streaming accounts are not licensed for commercial use. Businesses must use properly licensed music solutions.
3. Do I need a license to play music in my shop?
Yes — unless you use royalty-free or AI-generated music that already grants commercial rights. Traditional music requires licenses from PROs.
4. What’s the easiest way for a retail store to get music legally?
Using an AI-music service like SOUNDRAW or a business-music streaming service. These options bundle rights and eliminate risk.
5. What is the best music for retail stores?
Music that matches your brand identity, customer mood, and time of day. AI music allows you to customize the perfect ambience instantly.
6. Is SOUNDRAW legal for commercial use in stores?
Yes. SOUNDRAW music is original, ethically trained, and comes with commercial usage rights, perfect for retail locations.
7. Can AI-generated music replace traditional retail music playlists?
Yes, especially for stores seeking scalability, cost savings, and fresh content without licensing complexity.
Final Thoughts: Custom, Ethical AI Music Is the New Standard for Retail
Retailers worldwide are rethinking how they use music in their stores.
AI-generated background music offers:
- Lower cost
- No licensing complexity
- Unlimited fresh tracks
- Full customization
- Scalability for chains
- Stronger brand ambience
With SOUNDRAW, brands like Kopi Kenangan already prove how powerful and flexible AI background music can be across hundreds of locations. As customer experience becomes a competitive advantage, the companies that invest in sound will win the hearts - and attention - of shoppers.
Interested to use SOUNDRAW for your business?