This is a policy in either the Partner Resource Guide or the Store Ops manual, one of those two. It's been around for ages.

Myself and two others almost got written up for it back in 2017 because a customer complained that we played Closing Time by Semisonic while we gave customers the 5 minute warning lmfao

There definitely is a policy, I know people have gotten in trouble for playing inappropriate music. But I think it’s enforcement depends on your manager. I know of a store in my district that would play KK Slider music from animal crossing. My DM asked them what it was and when they explained, she said “well as long as it’s appropriate!!” Some people will be more strict than others on this for sure.

So your SM is a bitch for enforcing a policy….lmao

It's not just a Starbucks policy, it's federal law. Any place of business has to have an appropriate license for each individual song that's played. That's why there's pre-made playlists we choose from, Starbucks paid for the licenses to play all the songs on the playlist

We’ve literally never been allowed to play our own.

its a legal thing

we've never been allowed. it's a legal issue we can't play music that starbucks hasn't gotten permission to play.

Like in the store or the back, cuz store front definitely not, but in the back it is up to your sm. Mine is awesome so he lets us play our music while we are doing dishes/ other things in the back.

Though I will say when it is later in the night, depending upon the shift on duty, they sometimes let us play out own music from our phones if there are no customers in the store and we are just cleaning out front/ making mobiles. But if a customer comes in we have to turn it off.

You can chose different Playlists from Spotify though. I'd change them all the time. Just chose from the list on the tablet

Starbucks has to pay a fee to play the music they play. There is no way that you’re allowed to play anything else.

Its def a policy

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Lol you were never allowed to play your own music. Starbucks pays royalties for the songs on their playlists. You playing unauthorized music steals from the artists your playing. You’re SM was a bitch for letting you play your own music.