Music Licensing in Healthcare: What Every Care Leader Should Know About Music Licensing
Music is one of the simplest ways to make a care environment feel calmer, more welcoming, and more human. It can soften stress in a waiting room, support routines in senior living, and create connection across shared spaces.
But the moment music is used beyond private listening, licensing matters.
In Episode 12 of The Coro Chronicles, Coro Health sits down with attorney Brendon Vandergast to answer the questions healthcare leaders ask most, why licensing exists, what “public performance” really means, and why it is not as simple as picking one organization and moving on.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
1) Start with the simplest distinction: private vs public
Many licensing issues begin with a misunderstanding.
Personal music subscriptions are designed for private listening. Playing music in shared environments, where residents, patients, visitors, and staff are present, can fall under “public performance.” That includes common areas such as lobbies, dining rooms, hallways, activity rooms, waiting rooms, and more.
If the music contributes to the environment your organization provides, it should be treated as part of your operational plan, not an afterthought.
2) Why PROs exist and where fees actually go
Another question care leaders ask is: why are there so many acronyms?
Performing rights organizations, often called PROs, exist because creators needed a practical way to license music and get paid when their work is performed in public. A single songwriter cannot individually license their music to every business, facility, or venue.
PROs were created as a collective solution:
- license access to a catalog of music
- collect licensing fees
- distribute royalties back to the songwriters and publishers behind the music
This is the part that often gets lost. Licensing is not only about compliance. It is also how creators are compensated when their work is used commercially.
3) Why you cannot “pick one” PRO
A common misconception is that a facility can choose a single PRO and be fully covered.
In reality, PROs represent different catalogs. One license may cover some of the music you play, but not all of it. That is why the “pick one and you are done” approach creates risk.
Episode 12 of The Coro Chronicles breaks this down in plain language and helps leaders understand why the system was built this way.
4) Music shapes the care experience, even when it is “background”
Music in healthcare is often treated as background, but it is one of the strongest drivers of how a space feels.
In the episode, Brendon shares a simple idea: businesses express themselves through music, and people experience spaces differently when the soundtrack is thoughtful and well-curated. In care environments, that matters even more.
Sound can reduce tension or increase it. It can make a space feel sterile or supportive. It can create comfort and familiarity, or it can create noise and stress.
That is why intentional sound, paired with compliant usage, is part of whole-person care.
5) Compliance supports more than the organization
When licensing is framed only as “avoiding fines,” it is easy to miss the bigger picture.
There is a whole working class of musicians and songwriters who rely on royalties when their music is used in public spaces. Licensing helps sustain the music economy beyond the biggest names.
When healthcare communities license music correctly, they protect their organization and they support the creators behind the music that helps people feel calm, connected, and cared for.
How Coro Health keeps it simple
Most care teams do not want to become experts in music licensing. They want to create a better environment and reduce risk.
Coro Health is built for care settings, with fully licensed programming and purpose-designed solutions that support daily moments like wake, relaxation, dining, movement, and sleep. It helps organizations standardize music across locations and environments without adding complexity for staff.