Music for Offices

Offices playing recorded music publicly require a music licence from the relevant collecting society in their country. BPM recommendations vary by period: Focused work / Open-plan: 60–80 BPM; Common areas / Kitchens: 90–110 BPM; Meetings / Brainstorming: 80–105 BPM. Track Studios' AI catalog is not registered with any collecting society — venues using it are not billed for the included music.

BPM Recommendations

Time Period	BPM Range	Genres	Source
Focused work / Open-plan	60–80 BPM	Lo-fi, Ambient, Classical, Instrumental, Chillhop	Tempos around 60–80 BPM with low lyrical complexity best support cognitive tasks and focus.
Common areas / Kitchens	90–110 BPM	Indie Pop, Soul, Funk, Acoustic	—
Meetings / Brainstorming	80–105 BPM	Upbeat Instrumental, Jazz, World, Acoustic	—

Supporting Research

Effect of Music Tempo on Task Performance (1989)
Moderate-tempo music (around 80 BPM) improved clerical task performance compared to silence or high-tempo music. Music with lyrics reduced performance on reading comprehension tasks; instrumental music had a neutral or positive effect on routine tasks.
The Effect of Music Listening on Work Performance (2005)
Software developers who listened to music of their own choice completed tasks faster (average 11.2% reduction in task time) and produced higher-quality work than those who worked in silence. The effect was strongest for workers in the early stages of learning a new task.

Music Licensing for Offices by Country

Country	Collecting Societies	Estimated Annual Cost
Sweden	STIM + SAMI	SEK Varies/year
Norway	TONO + Gramo	NOK Varies/year
Denmark	KODA + Gramex	DKK Varies/year
Finland	Teosto + Gramex	EUR Varies/year
Germany	GEMA + GVL	EUR 140–220/year
Netherlands	Buma/Stemra + SENA	EUR Varies/year
Belgium	SABAM + PlayRight	EUR Varies/year
France	SACEM	EUR Varies/year
United Kingdom	PRS + PPL	GBP Varies/year
United States	ASCAP + BMI + SESAC + GMR + SoundExchange	USD Varies/year
Canada	SOCAN + Re:Sound	CAD Varies/year
Australia	APRA AMCOS + PPCA	AUD Varies/year

Royalty-Free Music for Offices

Track Studios provides business music that is not registered with any collecting society. Offices using the included catalog are not invoiced by STIM, GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, or other PROs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do offices need a music licence?: Yes. In most countries, playing recorded music in a office is a public performance that requires a licence from the relevant collecting society — for example, GEMA in Germany, TheMusicLicence (PRS + PPL) in the UK, or ASCAP and BMI in the USA. Track Studios' AI catalog is not registered with any of these societies, so offices using it are not invoiced for the included music.
Can offices use Spotify legally?: No. Spotify's Terms of Service (§1.2) restrict use to "personal, non-commercial purposes." Using Spotify in a office violates these terms and may also expose the business to claims from collecting societies for the underlying music rights. Spotify for Business was discontinued in 2019.
What is the ideal BPM for offices?: BPM recommendations vary by time period. During focused work / open-plan, 60–80 BPM is recommended (genres: Lo-fi, Ambient). During common areas / kitchens, 90–110 BPM is recommended (genres: Indie Pop, Soul). During meetings / brainstorming, 80–105 BPM is recommended (genres: Upbeat Instrumental, Jazz).
How can offices avoid collecting society fees?: Use music that is not registered with collecting societies. Track Studios uses an AI-generated catalog that is not registered with STIM, GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, or any other collecting society. Offices using the included catalog are not invoiced by these organisations.
What happens if a office is caught playing music without a licence?: The collecting society can issue a civil claim for back-fees (typically covering 2–3 years of unlicensed use), plus additional damages. In Germany, the Berlin fitness studio case resulted in €42,000 in damages. In the USA, statutory damages can reach $150,000 per infringed work.