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Deliver consistent, on-brand in-store experiences with our curated playlists and digital signage.
Background music for business is professionally curated music, chosen and managed specifically for commercial spaces rather than personal listening. It’s selected to match a brand’s identity, the pace of a venue and the mood you want your customers to feel.
Background music for business has to be properly licensed for public use, and for brands with more than one site, it needs a way of staying consistent across all locations.
In-store music isn’t just background, it’s a tool. In our own research, including a 21-day study run in partnership with a charity retail chain, changing genre swung daily sales by more than 60%.
It’s a pattern backed by independent research too - a classic 1993 study by Areni and Kim found that wine shoppers bought higher-priced bottles when classical music played instead of chart music. The right soundtrack for your brand can change buying behaviour.
Whatever you sell, we’ve got a soundtrack for it.
We have a library of 100+ regularly updated playlists spanning every genre and era - built for retail brands that want to take music management into their own hands.
We work closely with your team to understand your brand and goals. Then we create one-of-a-kind playlists just for you.
Promote your products and tell your brand's story through vibrant visual displays in your retail stores.
Our branded radio gives retail businesses an end-to-end production service, easily managed from one platform.
Startle have consistently been a great support to our stores. From their content management, music profiling and technical support, Startle have enabled us to create a seamless shopping atmosphere across our full store estate.
Marketing Manager
Manage multiple retail locations at once in Studio. Our drag-and-drop scheduler makes it easy to tailor in-store music by time of day and trading patterns. Set opening hours, schedule volume and EQ, and control permission levels across your stores.
With our nationwide network of trusted engineers, your stores are in safe hands. We'll handle everything on-site - amps, speakers, screens and more. We also build the Startle Player in our UK HQ and source any speakers you need.
Book your free brand sound discovery call to see how Startle can transform your music and signage across all locations.
On this call we’ll:
Just need a quote? Request pricing here.
Frequently asked questions.
Retail background music is played in stores to create atmosphere, reflect brand identity and influence customer behaviour. The right music can help customers feel more comfortable, stay longer, and improve the overall shopping experience.
Music shapes how customers feel and behave in store, and the effect is measurable as shown in our research. Get the soundtrack right, and it shows up on the till roll.
Yes. UK businesses need a licence from PPL PRS to play music commercially. Personal streaming accounts like Spotify aren’t suitable for commercial use, whatever size your store. Find out more about music licences for businesses.
Yes. Head office teams can control music across all locations from one central platform in Studio. You get brand consistency, with flexibility for individual stores where you need it.
No. Spotify and other personal or consumer streaming accounts are for personal listening only, not commercial use - using one in-store puts your business at risk of a fine. Read more on why you can’t use Spotify for business.
