Short answer: on BMI’s 2026 retail schedule, a store of up to 2,000 sq ft pays $311.71 a year for audio-only background music ($420.74 with video), rising with floor area to $2,658.31 above 17,500 sq ft. Restaurants, gyms and other businesses have their own BMI schedules, and BMI covers only its own repertoire: ASCAP, SESAC and GMR are licensed separately. Figures checked against BMI’s official retail license on 23 September 2026; this is not a quote, and the full table is below.
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Annual fee per store for one to nine locations, from BMI's 2026 retail license. BMI adjusts the schedule every year in line with the US consumer price index. Source: BMI Music License for Retail Establishments.
| Floor area of the store | Audio only | Audio-visual |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 sq ft | $311.71 | $420.74 |
| 2,001 to 2,500 sq ft | $421.66 | $569.21 |
| 2,501 to 5,000 sq ft | $604.99 | $816.71 |
| 5,001 to 7,500 sq ft | $971.66 | $1,311.72 |
| 7,501 to 10,000 sq ft | $1,338.29 | $1,806.70 |
| 10,001 to 12,500 sq ft | $1,704.98 | $2,301.73 |
| 12,501 to 15,000 sq ft | $2,071.64 | $2,796.67 |
| 15,001 to 17,500 sq ft | $2,438.25 | $3,291.71 |
| Over 17,500 sq ft | $2,658.31 | $3,588.67 |
Chains with ten or more stores pay per location by the number of stores instead: $311.71 each for the first 300 (audio only), falling to $192.53 each above 2,000. Live music is charged on top of these fees.
BMI licenses the public performance of the songs written by its affiliates. A varied playlist of popular music also draws on songwriters represented by ASCAP, SESAC and GMR, and a license from one organisation grants nothing over the others. For most stores the BMI fee is only part of the bill.
A BMI license is also not a source of music: it does not make a personal Spotify or Apple Music account usable in a business, because those services' own terms limit them to personal use.
A PRO license buys permission to play that organisation's repertoire; it does not buy the music itself, and it does not cover the other organisations. The alternative for background music is a catalogue that sits outside those repertoires altogether.
My Corporate Radio is a music streaming service for commercial venues built on its own library, produced in-house under human editorial supervision, with the rights settled directly with the producers and authors involved. Those works are not part of the repertoires administered by ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR. For a single location the Background Music plan costs £12.99$16.99€14.99 per month, with curated stations, announcements and documentation of the catalogue's origin. Live music, DJs or karaoke with popular repertoire still need the relevant licenses.
On BMI’s 2026 retail schedule, a store of up to 2,000 sq ft pays $311.71 a year for audio-only background music, or $420.74 with video. Larger stores pay more, by floor area.
Usually not. BMI covers only its affiliates’ songs; most playlists also include songs licensed by ASCAP, SESAC or GMR, which require their own licenses.
BMI adjusts its fee schedules every year in line with the US consumer price index, so always check the current schedule on bmi.com.
No. The rates on this page are BMI’s retail schedule; restaurants, bars, fitness clubs and other businesses have their own BMI licenses.
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Official sources for current licensing rates:
ASCAP: ascap.com/help/ascap-licensing
BMI: bmi.com/licensing
SESAC: sesac.com
GMR: globalmusicrights.com
Rate schedules are published and revised by each organisation and vary by venue profile. For the figure that applies to a specific business, always consult the official organisation directly.