Essentials for
Effective Hotel Music

#1: Align Your Music with Your Brand and Desired Experience

The music you choose should accurately mirror the essence, mood, and personality of your brand. Whether your brand is modern and upbeat, timeless and sophisticated, trendy and tech-savvy, or cozy and inviting, your music should reflect that identity.

It’s also crucial that the music enhances the experience you’re striving to create for your guests. Music significantly influences how people perceive and feel in a space, so consider your target audience and the emotions you want them to experience at your hotel. Do you want your guests to feel relaxed or invigorated (see tip #7 on “dayparting”)? Should they feel at home or transported to an exotic locale? Your answers to these questions will guide your music provider in selecting the right soundtrack that aligns with your brand and the atmosphere of your property.

#2: Variety and regular updates

Ensure your music provider offers a diverse range of programs and genres that suit the ambiance you wish to cultivate. Avoid the pitfall of playing the same playlist daily or resorting to off-brand music just to mix things up. A skilled provider will help you strike the perfect balance.

Additionally, it’s important to work with a provider who actively updates your music programming. With thousands of new tracks released daily from major labels, independent publishers, and artists globally, your provider should be on the lookout for fresh content that matches your brand and enhances the guest experience. They should also know when to rest or remove certain tracks from rotation to keep your sound fresh and engaging, ensuring a consistent yet evolving auditory experience for your repeat guests.

#4: Value for money spent

While every hotel has its own budget for background music, it’s important to remember that you typically get what you pay for. The market is saturated with low-cost options claiming to offer cutting-edge solutions, but many fall short in crucial areas like quality, variety, control, reliability, and service. In the end, investing a bit more in a seasoned provider who can deliver on these fronts is often worth the small daily cost difference.

#5: The importance of human curation

Anyone with tech skills can compile a list of songs, categorize them by genre, and create a music streaming playlist. However, this approach won’t produce a playlist that genuinely captures the essence of your brand. What you really need is a company staffed with true music experts who carefully select and curate your music programs. These professionals don’t just understand music; they have a deep insight into how your brand should sound. They’ll help you make selections that align with the atmosphere you want to create, ensuring consistency with your desired guest experience. While platforms and technology are important, they can’t replace the expertise of professional music designers who grasp the intricate connection between music, branding, and the unique experience you offer your guests.

#6: Customized to your specific needs

Hotels come in all shapes and sizes, from global chains to boutique properties, and each has distinct needs when it comes to their music. For instance, a boutique hotel might want to create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, benefitting from a streaming solution that gives them full control over their music selection. In contrast, a large international hotel chain might prioritize consistency and differentiation across its properties, requiring multiple custom music programs to create a cohesive brand experience. Such chains might also want to tailor music to different regions, providing a localized feel while maintaining a recognizable brand sound. Luxury resorts might need several different music programs for various areas—one for the pool, another for a themed restaurant, and yet another for the gym. Franchise-based organizations might prefer a set of pre-made programs that allow franchisees some choice while preserving brand consistency. In short, effective hotel music solutions aren’t one-size-fits-all. The provider you choose should offer a range of programming and control options to best meet your specific needs. The key is finding a solution that fits seamlessly into your operations, not the other way around.

#7: It allows scheduling

Music scheduling, also known as “dayparting” is the practice of playing different types of music at different times of the day, allowing you to set varying energy levels in your hotel from morning to night. This strategy is crucial for creating the right atmosphere throughout the day. Your chosen music solution should enable you to schedule programs accordingly, and a good provider can even handle the dayparting for you.

#8: User-friendly interface

Regardless of whether your music solution involves a dedicated player, it should offer easy management of content, track preferences, and program scheduling. A complicated interface or poorly designed player can lead to unnecessary frustration, which is the last thing you want when managing your hotel’s music. Ensure you see a demo of the content management system before committing to a solution, and verify that the provider offers reliable phone and on-site support if you ever need assistance.

#9: Content is appropriate for business

The music you play reflects your brand, and if your hotel caters to families, playing inappropriate tracks can quickly damage your reputation. The suitability of your music should never be a concern, which is why working with an experienced music provider is crucial. They should proactively filter out content that doesn’t align with the family-friendly image of your business.

#10: More than just music.

Your investment in hotel music enhances the guest experience, and you can maximize this investment by partnering with a provider that offers additional services like AV systems, scent marketing, and digital signage. Providers who focus on the entire guest experience can deliver significant value and savings by bundling these services. This approach not only saves you money but also elevates the overall guest experience and simplifies your vendor management.

#11: Local Support You Can Count On

Getting your music system up and running is just the beginning. As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to ensure your provider has local technicians who can quickly respond to any issues, along with dependable phone and email support.

#12: Licensed for business use

It’s essential that your music is licensed for business use, as the law requires you to use a business music solution in your hotel. Think of it as compensating the artists for the music that enhances your business environment. Using personal streaming apps or your own music collection for overhead audio violates copyright laws. Performing Rights Agents regularly inspect businesses to ensure their music is licensed for commercial use. If you’re caught playing unlicensed music, you could face hefty fines for each song used illegally. Additionally, if your property includes multiple business areas, you may be subject to special licensing requirements, which your provider should be able to guide you through.

If you have any questions or want to explore hotel music solutions further, reach out to us today! Our experts can help you seamlessly integrate all 12 elements discussed above, ensuring you create a meaningful and memorable experience for your guests.