FAQ
Questions, answered directly.
From whether music actually moves sales to how licensing works — the questions we get most, answered with the same rigor as our Insights pieces.
Does playing background music actually increase sales?
Yes — it's one of the most directly measured effects in retail-atmospherics research. A landmark supermarket study found that slowing the in-store music tempo alone raised daily sales by 38%, and later research has repeatedly found that music can shift not just how much people buy, but what they choose, often without shoppers noticing the influence at all.
What tempo of music is best for a retail store?
It depends on the goal. Slower tempo tends to slow shoppers down, increase dwell time and raise total spend per visit — the effect behind Milliman's 38% supermarket sales study. Faster tempo increases table or customer turnover but can reduce spend per visit, which is a better fit for high-traffic, quick-service environments than for a boutique or lounge.
Can I just use my personal Spotify or Apple Music account in my business?
No. Consumer streaming and personal radio accounts are licensed for private, non-commercial use only. Playing them in a business setting without a commercial usage license can expose you to liability from collecting societies (PRS/PPL in the UK, ASCAP/BMI/SESAC in the US, SIAE/SCF in Italy, and equivalents elsewhere). Spiraria's catalogue is original and licensed directly for commercial use, so there's no collecting-society exposure.
Does background music reduce how long a wait feels?
Yes. Research on telephone hold experience consistently shows that filled time is judged as passing faster than unfilled time — silence makes a wait feel longer, and the right music makes it feel shorter, even when the actual duration is identical. The same principle applies to physical waiting areas: reception desks, lobbies, and queues.
What is sonic branding and why does it matter for a business?
Sonic branding is the deliberate use of a consistent sound identity — a tone, a mood, a signature texture — the same way a logo or color palette is deliberately designed. A 2024 academic review in Psychology & Marketing found sonic brand cues were 8.53 times more likely to appear in high-performing ads, and that launching a sonic identity correlated with a 38% increase in brand recall.
How does music affect stress in a spa or wellness setting?
A meta-analysis of controlled trials, published in Health Psychology Review, found music-based interventions produce a medium-to-large reduction in stress-related outcomes (an effect size of d = 0.72). Slower, steadier tempo — roughly 60 to 80 beats per minute, close to a resting heart rate — is associated with the strongest calming effect, which is why a curated, consistently low-arousal soundtrack outperforms a generically labeled "relaxing" playlist.
What's the best music tempo for a gym or fitness studio?
Research on exercise and music consistently favors higher tempo — roughly 120 to 140 beats per minute for moderate-to-vigorous activity. In one controlled trial, high-tempo music (130 BPM) had participants exercising 10.7% longer at high intensity than a no-music condition, without any increase in perceived effort. Slow tempo shows the opposite effect, correlating with lower motivation regardless of workout intensity.
How is Spiraria different from a generic playlist or streaming app?
Every track in Spiraria's catalogue is original and curated for commercial spaces, not pulled from a shared stock library or a consumer playlist built for personal listening. Moods are grouped by environment and designed around the research above — tempo, energy and mood matched to what a hotel lobby, retail floor, spa or gym is actually trying to achieve — and every plan comes with a commercial usage license.
How much does Spiraria cost?
Spiraria's web radio plan is a flat monthly price per venue, with no per-track or per-listener fees. Current pricing and plan details are on the Pricing page.
Can I cancel my Spiraria subscription anytime?
Yes. Subscriptions are billed monthly and can be cancelled at any time from the members area, with no long-term contract.
Do I still need a PRS/PPL, ASCAP/BMI/SESAC or SIAE/SCF license if I use Spiraria?
No. Because Spiraria's catalogue is original music licensed directly to you, there's no collecting-society fee to pay on top of your subscription — the commercial usage license that comes with your plan is all the paperwork you need.
Can I get custom music made specifically for my brand?
Yes. Alongside the web radio plans, Spiraria offers custom sonic branding: original music composed around your venue's identity, hours and atmosphere, delivered with a full commercial usage license. Get started from the Contact page.
Still have a question?
Talk to us directly.
Happy to walk through pricing, licensing or a custom sonic identity for your venue.