In today’s evolving music landscape, every stream, spin, and sync counts. But one of the most underappreciated and lucrative opportunities for independent artists and labels is in-store play — the placement of your music on playlists heard in retail, hospitality, and fitness environments around the world.
Getting your songs featured on in-store playlists isn’t just about exposure. It’s about strategic presence — turning everyday spaces like cafes, boutiques, and gyms into living soundtracks that introduce your music to thousands of potential fans daily. At Sunset Music, we believe in exploring every avenue that elevates an artist’s reach, and in-store airplay has become a powerful new frontier for music discovery and royalty generation.
What Is In-Store Play?
In-store play refers to when your music is programmed as part of curated playlists in physical spaces — retail stores, restaurants, gyms, hotels, and even car showrooms. These are the songs you hear while shopping at Harrods, sipping a latte at Costa, or test-driving a Jaguar.
The music might seem like background ambiance, but for artists, it’s a high-value promotional channel. Each time your track plays through these systems, it contributes to performance royalties and public exposure, much like traditional radio airplay — except this airplay is woven into consumers’ daily experiences.
How It Works
Once your track is placed on a licensed broadcast or in-store music network, it’s added to curated playlists tailored to each brand’s audience and environment. These playlists are then distributed across hundreds or even thousands of locations — meaning your song could be spinning in New Look, Oasis, Alexander McQueen, PureGym, FatFace, and more.
Every store becomes a stage, and every shopper, diner, or gym-goer becomes a listener. This isn’t passive exposure; it’s targeted reach — connecting your music directly with real people in real places.
Why In-Store Placement Matters
1. Broadened Reach and Real-World Discovery
Unlike streaming algorithms that often circulate music within a narrow audience segment, in-store playlists introduce your music to a completely fresh audience — people who might not even be looking for new songs but are subconsciously drawn to what they hear.
A listener might be trying on a jacket at Oasis or picking out coffee beans at Costa when your song comes on. They might Shazam it, add it to their personal playlists, or look you up later — creating a ripple effect of organic discovery that traditional radio often can’t replicate.
2. Royalty Potential
Each public performance of your music in commercial spaces generates performance royalties, collected through performance rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, PRS, or SOCAN. As your songs rotate in stores across countries, those small royalties begin to add up, turning exposure into measurable income.
For independent artists and catalog owners, these placements can represent consistent, passive revenue — a steady background stream that builds over time.
3. Brand Alignment and Artist Credibility
Landing placements in high-profile brands like Alexander McQueen, Harrods, or Jaguar elevates not only your exposure but also your image. These partnerships position your music alongside luxury and lifestyle identities, reinforcing your sound’s aesthetic value and broadening its commercial appeal.
It’s not just about where your song plays — it’s about the brand association that comes with it.
4. Alternative Airplay Promotion
Traditional radio can be a tough gate to enter, especially for emerging artists. In-store play offers an alternative — a form of airplay promotion that still reaches thousands, but without the barriers of commercial radio programming.
Through networks that distribute playlists to global retail chains, your song could reach international audiences, from the U.K. to the U.S., Europe, and beyond — all while increasing visibility on Shazam, social media, and streaming platforms.
The Shazam Effect
The connection between in-store play and Shazam engagement cannot be overstated. When consumers hear an unfamiliar track they love, they instinctively reach for their phones. Each Shazam identification represents both engagement and validation — someone actively wants to know who you are.
These real-time data points help amplify your online footprint, feeding streaming algorithms and improving visibility across major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. In other words, in-store play drives digital discovery.
The Sunset Music Advocacy
At Sunset Music, we’re committed to helping independent artists and labels tap into every possible revenue stream and exposure opportunity. In-store play represents a perfect fusion of both — a unique promotional avenue that translates into tangible royalty earnings.
Our music advocacy approach focuses on strategic placements that not only boost your global reach but also reinforce your music’s cultural and commercial value. Whether your track fits the upbeat vibe of PureGym or the sophisticated ambiance of Harrods, we ensure your sound finds its space — and its audience.
Making Every Play Count
As the music industry continues to evolve, in-store play is proving to be one of the most effective ways to connect artists with real-world audiences. It’s about being heard beyond the streaming platforms — in the places people live, shop, and move every day.
Every spin in a boutique, every play in a coffee shop, every moment your song fills a public space contributes to your story as an artist — growing your fanbase, your royalties, and your recognition.
At Sunset Music, we believe in making every play count.
Final Thoughts
From the bustling energy of PureGym to the refined halls of Harrods, in-store playlists have become a silent yet powerful form of modern airplay. They’re where commerce meets creativity, where your music can soundtrack someone’s day — and where new fans are born one Shazam at a time.
Getting your music placed in these environments isn’t just another promotional tactic. It’s a step toward turning your sound into a brand, your song into an experience, and your art into opportunity.
Sunset Music Advocacy continues to champion independent creators by opening doors to innovative platforms like in-store music networks — because when your song plays in the real world, the world listens.
