Short answer

• Use a B2B (commercial) music service that includes public-performance licensing — e.g., Soundtrack Your Brand (Spotify-backed), Moodby Play / Mood Media, PlayNetwork, Pandora Cloud Cover (SiriusXM), SoundMachine, Meridian Chapters, SiriusXM Music for Business. These services supply curated, continuously updated lobby playlists and handle the licensing that consumer apps do not. (dynamicmediamusic.com)

Why you shouldn’t use consumer apps

• Consumer Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc., are licensed for personal use only. Playing them in a hotel lobby can expose you to fines; businesses must obtain public-performance rights. B2B providers either include those rights or tell you what additional PRO (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC/GMR) coverage is required. (Moodby.com)

How to pick the right provider (quick checklist)

• Licensing coverage: confirm which performing-right organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR, SOCAN, Re:Sound, etc.) the service covers for your country. (cloudcovermusic.com)
• Hospitality features: ability to schedule by time of day/zone (lobby vs. bar vs. spa), multi-location control, offline caching, and messaging/announcements. (Moodby.com)
• Catalog & curation: curated “hotel” or “lobby” channels and the ability to create/import brand playlists. (dynamicmediamusic.com)
• Hardware/installation: whether they provide a simple app-only solution or dedicated players that integrate with your AV system. (PlayNetwork.com)
• Price & trials: many services offer free trials and per-location pricing—ask about enterprise discounts for multiple properties. (Moodby.com)

Vendors to evaluate (good starting list)

• Soundtrack Your Brand / Soundtrack (Spotify enterprise reseller networks). (dynamicmediamusic.com)
• Moodby Play / Mood Media (hotel-focused programs). (Moodby.com)
• PlayNetwork (large-scale curated programs for hotel brands). (PlayNetwork.com)
• Pandora Cloud Cover / Pandora for Business / SiriusXM business offerings (commercial stations and licensing). (cloudcovermusic.com)
• SoundMachine (Spotify-for-business integrations, licensing coverage). (sound-machine.com)
• Meridian Chapters and other hospitality-focused boutique providers. (meridianchapters.com)

If you want one-line next steps

• If you manage one property: start a free trial with Pandora Cloud Cover or SoundMachine to test ease-of-use and licensing. (cloudcovermusic.com)
• If you manage a brand/multiple hotels: contact PlayNetwork or Moodby Play for custom, multi-zone, branded programs and enterprise licensing. (PlayNetwork.com)

If you’d like, I can:

• Compare 3 services (pricing, licensing coverage, hospitality features) for U.S. hotels and summarize pros/cons. (I’ll look up current pricing and coverage first.)