What music should you play in a beauty salon?
A beauty salon lives a particular tension: relaxing the client like a spa, while keeping the gentle energy of an active treatment venue. The music needs to find that middle ground. Here is how to choose it, and what you need to know about compliance.
Between relaxation and active treatment
A beauty salon is not quite a spa. People come to relax, but also for active treatments: waxing, manicures, facials, makeup. The music therefore needs to soothe without lulling either staff or clients to sleep. It is a subtle balance: brighter than a spa, softer than a shop. Well set, it extends the pleasure of the treatment and the polished image of the venue.
The style: soft and bright
- Bright downtempo and elegant chill: calm but not soporific.
- Understated neo-soul: warm, feminine without being a cliche, modern.
- Soft pop and light acoustic: positive and easy to live with.
Avoid overly floaty, ambient textures, which suit a spa but weigh down a salon where people are actively working.
Volume and privacy
Volume should stay low to moderate. Present enough to create a bubble and partially cover conversations from one booth to the next, which protects clients’ privacy, but never to the point of interfering with the conversation with the esthetician. This discreet backdrop is part of the comfort clients expect.
Compliance: royalties apply
A salon that plays music is subject to public performance royalties, like any business open to the public. The amount follows the applicable fee schedule. As everywhere, a personal streaming account is off-limits for commercial use.
In practice
Soundtracking a beauty salon means aiming for bright softness, a measured volume, and a legal source. Horra offers curated wellness and feel-good playlists, zone-based management (reception, booths) and human support to stay compliant, at clear, public pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What music should you play in a beauty salon?
Soft, positive music, halfway between spa-level relaxation and the discreet energy of an active treatment venue: bright downtempo, understated neo-soul, elegant chill. The goal is to soothe without lulling anyone to sleep, at a low volume.
Should it be the same music as a spa?
Not quite. A spa aims for deep relaxation, a beauty salon combines relaxation with active treatments (waxing, nails, makeup). The music there is a touch brighter and more present, while staying soft and enveloping.
Does music help preserve privacy during treatments?
Yes. A discreet backdrop partially covers conversations during treatments and between booths, which protects clients' privacy. It is a useful role, as long as the volume stays measured.
Does a beauty salon have to pay public performance royalties?
Yes. As soon as a salon plays music in spaces open to the public, public performance royalties are due, as for any business. The amount depends on the applicable fee schedule.
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