Commercial Licensing
Every track on Puana includes a commercial music license. No PRO fees. No separate agreements. No fine print. One subscription covers your business completely.
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What a commercial music license covers
The moment you press play in a commercial space — a store, a restaurant, a waiting room, a lobby — that music becomes a “public performance” under copyright law. It doesn't matter how small the space is. It doesn't matter if no one is listening. The law treats it the same.
Performance rights organizations — BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC — exist to collect fees on behalf of songwriters and publishers whenever their music is played publicly. These organizations employ auditors who visit businesses, note what's playing, and send invoices. If you don't have a license, those invoices become legal threats.
Here is the part most business owners learn too late: a personal streaming subscription does not cover commercial use. Those agreements are explicitly for private, non-commercial listening. Playing them in your shop is copyright infringement, and the statutory penalty is up to $30,000 per track.
The scale of the problem is staggering. 83% of businesses play music without the proper license. Most don't know they're exposed until a letter arrives.
Puana takes a different approach. Every track in the library is original music — composed without third-party rights holders. There are no songwriters or publishers to collect from. No PRO has any claim. Your Puana subscription is your commercial music license: complete, clear, and included from day one.
The traditional licensing maze
Most business owners don't realize that legal music requires multiple agreements from multiple organizations, each with their own pricing, paperwork, and annual renewals.
$250-500/year
Annual agreement with Broadcast Music, Inc. Covers tracks in the BMI catalog only. Separate application, separate invoice.
$220-500/year
Annual agreement with the American Society of Composers. Different catalog, different terms. Another application, another invoice.
$200-400/year
Annual agreement with SESAC. The smallest of the three, but required if any SESAC-licensed music plays in your space.
$300+/year
A business music platform to actually deliver the audio. This is on top of the three PRO licenses — not a replacement for them.
Every year
Every PRO license requires annual renewal. Miss one and your coverage lapses. Auditors don't send reminders.
Priceless
A song plays that's registered with a PRO you didn't license. A new artist joins a catalog you thought you had covered. The system is built on uncertainty.
Or
One subscription. Commercial license built in. No PRO fees, no separate agreements, no annual paperwork.
Your license certificate
Every Puana Business subscriber can download a commercial license certificate directly from their dashboard. It's a PDF document — professional, specific, and ready to present the moment anyone questions your music.
The certificate includes your business name, the date of issue, your active subscription status, and a clear statement that all music played through Puana is original content, fully licensed for commercial use, with no third-party royalty obligations.
If BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC sends a representative, your certificate demonstrates you're playing fully licensed original music with no PRO obligations.
Some commercial leases require proof of music licensing. Your Puana certificate satisfies this requirement.
Download it anytime from your dashboard. It updates automatically with your current subscription status.
“I built the license certificate because I wanted it for my own cafe. That moment when someone asks about your music — you should never have to wonder if you're covered.”
Jesse Meria
Founder, Puana · Owner, Cafe Meria · Charlevoix, MI
If you've received a letter
If BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC has contacted your business, you're not alone. It happens to thousands of businesses every year, and the letters are designed to feel urgent. Most of the time, the situation is more manageable than it appears.
The most important thing you can do right now is stop playing unlicensed music. That means turning off your personal streaming account in your business and switching to a properly licensed source.
Switching to Puana resolves the issue going forward. Because every Puana track is original music with no third-party rights holders, there is nothing for BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC to collect on. Your license certificate provides documentation of your compliance from the moment you subscribe.
For any past infringement that may be referenced in the letter, we recommend consulting with an attorney who specializes in intellectual property or entertainment law. Many of these situations are resolved through negotiation.
Note: This information is provided for general educational purposes. It is not legal advice. If you have received a formal legal notice, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.
What you get
Every track in the library is fully licensed for commercial use. Play it in any business, any time, worry-free.
No BMI. No ASCAP. No SESAC. No additional licensing fees. Your subscription is the only cost.
Download a professional PDF proving your commercial music compliance. Show it to any auditor or landlord.
Jazz, bossa, ambient, soul, lo-fi, indie, acoustic, electronic. Every one composed for real spaces.
Different vibes for different dayparts. Automatic transitions. Set it once, it runs itself.
One toggle. Family-friendly across every genre, every daypart. No surprises for customers.
Staff gets play and pause. Managers get scheduling and settings. No shared passwords.
Every location gets its own schedule, team, and settings. One dashboard for all of them.
Common questions
A commercial music license gives you the legal right to play music in a business setting — a store, restaurant, office, salon, gym, or any public-facing space. Without one, playing copyrighted music in your business is considered a public performance and can result in fines up to $30,000 per track. Puana includes a commercial license with every subscription, covering all tracks in the library.
Not with Puana. Traditional commercial music requires separate agreements with each performance rights organization (PRO) — BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC — at a combined cost of $470 to $1,400+ per year. Because every Puana track is original music with no third-party rights holders, there are no PRO fees. Your subscription is the only cost.
PRO auditors visit businesses regularly. If you're playing music from a personal streaming account or unlicensed source, your business can be fined up to $30,000 per track under the Copyright Act. Many businesses receive cease-and-desist letters first, but organizations have the right to pursue statutory damages without prior warning.
Each Puana subscription covers one location. If you operate multiple locations, each one needs its own subscription — $14.99/mo per location. Every location gets its own schedule, team access, and settings, managed from one dashboard.
Yes. Every Business subscriber can download a commercial license certificate from their dashboard. The certificate identifies your business, confirms your active subscription, and states that all music played through Puana is fully licensed for commercial use. It's designed to be shown to PRO auditors, landlords, or anyone who asks.
Over 3,000 original tracks across jazz, bossa nova, ambient, soul, lo-fi, acoustic, electronic, and more — each composed for real spaces. This isn't elevator music or generic loops. You can browse the full library and listen before subscribing. Start free, no credit card required.
Royalty-free means you pay once and don't owe ongoing royalties per play. A commercial license specifically grants permission to play music in a business setting. Puana gives you both: the music is royalty-free (no per-play fees) and commercially licensed (legal for business use). One subscription covers everything.
More for your business
Start listening free. Upgrade when you need your commercial license certificate, scheduling, and team access.