Comparison
Pandora for Business and Pandora CloudCover vs eleMusic
Two business music services carry the Pandora name, and two different companies sell them. Here is what each one's own pages said on October 10 and 11, 2026, set beside eleMusic.
Last reviewed October 13, 2026.
Pandora for Business and Pandora CloudCover are two different services sold by two different companies. eleMusic plays only original instrumental music, generated and mastered by eleMusic, at $15 a month for 1 device or $24 a month for up to 5 devices on monthly billing. Mood Media sells Pandora for Business at $29.95 a month on monthly billing ($23.96 a month on a yearly plan, under a limited-time offer), one subscription for "each location, zone, or device". Cloud Cover Media, Inc. sells Pandora CloudCover: its Music plan is $18.95 a month per location on monthly billing, or $16.95 a month prepaid annually (all prices as listed on October 10, 2026).
This page is general information about US law and business music services. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your practice, talk to a lawyer.
eleMusic wrote this page, and eleMusic is one of the three services it compares. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Pandora, Mood Media, Cloud Cover Media or SiriusXM. Pandora, Pandora CloudCover, Mood Media and SiriusXM are trademarks of their respective owners. Every fact about their products comes from their own pages, read on October 10, 2026 and listed under Sources at the end. We read those pages again on October 11, 2026 and found the prices and wording we had quoted unchanged. That day we also added two CloudCover support center articles to this page, and first quoted one more clause of Mood Media's service agreement, one more answer in Mood Media's FAQ and wording from two answers in the FAQ on CloudCover's pricing page. The page dates each where it appears. Prices as of October 2026, checked October 10 and October 11, 2026. Prices and terms change, so check each company's page before you buy. Pandora's personal plans have their own guide: personal streaming and satellite plans in a dental office.
Are Pandora for Business and Pandora CloudCover the same thing?
No. They share the Pandora name, but each has its own website, its own agreement, its own prices and its own support center. Pandora's consumer Terms of Use point business listeners to one of them:
"Use of the Services in a business establishment requires a special license to a separate service that is provided by Mood Media, a third party we have engaged ("Pandora for Business")."
Pandora Services Terms of Use, Section 9, last updated April 16, 2024, read October 10, 2026
Mood Media's own support center describes the arrangement this way: "Mood Media has partnered with Pandora to deliver and license the Pandora service for business use." Its service agreement is with "DMX, LLC D/B/A MOOD MEDIA".
Pandora's own business page, pandora.com/business, presents the other product. On October 10, 2026 its title was "Pandora CloudCover: Music for Business", and its sign-up links led to pandora.cloudcovermusic.com. CloudCover's Subscription Services Agreement "is between Cloud Cover Media, Inc., a California corporation" and the customer. A 2022 announcement, still on CloudCover's blog, says SiriusXM's "subsidiary, Sirius XM Radio Inc., has acquired Cloud Cover Media, Inc." The blog post's own summary calls the company "Cloud Cover Media (now Pandora CloudCover)". The announcement itself names Cloud Cover Music, the service Cloud Cover Media offered, and Pandora for Business as separate services:
"Cloud Cover Music joins SiriusXM Music for Business and Pandora for Business in SiriusXM’s commercial music portfolio."
SiriusXM announcement dated January 13, 2022, on the Pandora CloudCover blog, read October 10, 2026
| Topic | Pandora for Business | Pandora CloudCover | eleMusic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you sign up | pandora.moodmedia.com | cloudcovermusic.com, also linked from pandora.com/business | elemusic.fm |
| Your agreement is with | "DMX, LLC D/B/A MOOD MEDIA" (Service Agreement, updated February 23, 2024) | "Cloud Cover Media, Inc., a California corporation" (Subscription Services Agreement, effective June 1, 2026) | eleMusic Inc., a Delaware corporation |
| Where it may be used | "only in the United States"; the same agreement also says the service "is only available in the 50 States of the United States of America", and Mood Media's FAQ says it is "currently only available for businesses located in the United States (US territories not included)" (both read October 11, 2026) | "in the United States and Canada only" | "Each Location must be in the United States (one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia)" (Terms of Service, Section 14.14) |
If someone at your practice says "we already have Pandora for business", the company your agreement is with tells you which of the two it is (the table above names both). The 2022 announcement also names a third service, SiriusXM Music for Business; our comparison of SiriusXM Music for Business and eleMusic covers it.
What does each one cost, and what does a price buy?
Each company prices a different unit. Pandora for Business sells subscriptions, CloudCover sells plans per location with audio zones as an add-on, and eleMusic sells one plan per location sized by how many devices play at once.
| Service and plan | What the price covers | Monthly billing | Yearly billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pandora for Business, Music Subscription | One subscription, required "for each location, zone, or device you want to play music" | $29.95 a month | $23.96 a month, shown under a "Limited Time: 20% off + Free Music Player On Yearly Plans" banner |
| Pandora CloudCover Music | One location | $18.95 a month | $16.95 a month, "prepaid annually" |
| Pandora CloudCover Manage | One location; audio zones can be added | $23.95 a month | $21.50 a month, prepaid annually |
| Pandora CloudCover Messaging & Signage | One location, one signage screen included; audio zones can be added | $29.95 a month | $26.95 a month, prepaid annually |
| eleMusic Solo | One location, 1 device | $15 a month | $150 a year, charged in advance (works out to $12.50 a month) |
| eleMusic Practice | One location, up to 5 devices | $24 a month | $240 a year, charged in advance (works out to $20 a month) |
| eleMusic Clinic | One location, up to 15 devices | $49 a month | $490 a year, charged in advance (works out to about $40.83 a month) |
Pandora for Business adds a player cost if you choose its media player instead of your own phone or tablet. Its subscription page says: "Your initial purchase total will include a one time fee of $99.00 (per player) plus the year/month cost (per subscription)." The same page advertises a free player with a yearly plan and 50% off the player with a monthly plan, so check the cart before you pay. CloudCover's pricing page lists "Streaming from any device, no hardware required" under all plans, and offers its CloudBox player as an add-on. eleMusic extra devices are $4 a month or $40 a year each, on any plan. Prices in US dollars, plus applicable sales tax.
Which CloudCover zone price is current: $12.95 or $13?
We could not tell, so we show both. CloudCover's pricing page and Pandora's business page disagreed on October 10, 2026, and still disagreed when we read both again on October 11, 2026:
- cloudcovermusic.com/pricing lists, under the Manage plan, "audio zones ($12.95/zone/mo)".
- pandora.com/business lists, under the same Manage plan, "Add audio zones ($13/mo/zone)".
CloudCover's blog post on zones uses the lower figure and words it as the price of each additional zone: "Simply sign up for our Manage or Messaging plans and each additional Zone will be $12.95/mo." A CloudCover support center article dated February 3, 2026 (read October 11, 2026) gives the same price for each additional zone. If you are pricing CloudCover zones, ask CloudCover to put the zone price in writing.
What is a location, a zone and a device?
These words decide what a multi-room dental office pays, and each company uses them its own way.
- Pandora for Business asks for one subscription per music area. Its subscription page explains: "If you want to play the same music throughout your business you need 1 subscription. If you want to play different music in distinct areas inside the same location, you must select 2 or more subscriptions." Its FAQ adds: "Each media player has one Pandora output zone; this means you can play one Pandora station at a time from one player."
- Pandora CloudCover defines both terms in its zones post: "Zone = a stream of audio within a location that has one single street address (i.e. lobby, showroom, break room, etc.). One location can have multiple Zones." On its pricing page, audio zones first appear under the Manage plan.
- eleMusic counts devices. A device is one stream: a tablet feeding the ceiling speakers in several rooms counts once. Every device picks its own station, so the waiting room and each operatory can play different music.
What would a dental office pay in two common setups?
Here is our arithmetic on the monthly list prices above, for one location. The first column is an office with one player feeding the speakers in every room, so all rooms hear the same music. The second is an office where five rooms each play their own station at the same time.
| Service | Same music in every room (one stream) | Five rooms, each on its own station (five streams) |
|---|---|---|
| Pandora for Business | $29.95 (1 subscription) | $149.75 (5 subscriptions at $29.95) |
| Pandora CloudCover | $18.95 (Music plan) | $75.75 (Manage at $23.95 plus 4 additional zones at $12.95; the location starts with one zone), or $75.95 with zones at $13 |
| eleMusic | $15 (Solo, 1 device) | $24 (Practice, up to 5 devices) |
A zone, a location and a device are different units, so treat these totals as a starting point, not a quote. The prices also buy different things. Both Pandora products offer music by what both call top artists and describe public performance licensing as part of what a subscriber gets. eleMusic plays only original instrumental music, generated and mastered by eleMusic, and its plans do not include a license from ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR. The next two sections quote each company on both points.
We used monthly billing for every row so the terms match. The CloudCover figure counts the location's own stream as its first zone. CloudCover's support center says: "Within each location, you start with one zone" (Understanding Locations and Zones, dated January 2024, read October 11, 2026). CloudCover lists "Volume discounts" under its Enterprise plan, and its pricing FAQ (read October 11, 2026) says: "If you have multiple locations, you may be eligible for a price break on your service." Both Pandora products sell yearly plans at the prices in the price table above (the Pandora for Business yearly price is shown as a limited-time offer). For eleMusic: Five or more locations take 15% off every location. For more on how music services price a practice, see what music for a dental office costs.
How does each describe music licensing?
Both Pandora products describe public performance licensing as part of what a subscriber gets. We quote them here and do not judge what any of it means for your practice.
Pandora for Business. Its home page says: "When you use Pandora for Business, you get necessary public performance licenses from organizations like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC." Its licensing page adds: "We work with performing rights agencies such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC to obtain those licensing rights for you on your behalf." The service agreement sets limits:
"Mood Media shall pay applicable copyright license fees for Your use of the Service as authorized herein; provided, however, that the licenses that Mood Media provides do not cover any music used by You in the following ways: (a) music used by a DJ or VJ or to displace a live orchestra; (b) music used in areas of a Service location where an admission fee or cover charge is charged; (c) music used to accompany dancing (including ballrooms, discotheques and dance studios), bowling, skating or instructed health club classes; or (d) music included in commercial television programming or digital signage."
Pandora for Business Service Agreement, "Copyright Licensing", updated February 23, 2024, read October 10, 2026
Pandora CloudCover. A support article dated August 11, 2026 says: "When you subscribe to Pandora CloudCover, the cost includes public performance licensing coverage through the major PROs in the United States and Canada for covered background music uses." It lists ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESAC for the United States, then lists uses that "may require additional licensing", among them admission-based events, live entertainment, livestreams and "Music played from sources other than the Pandora CloudCover platform." Its closing section says: "This article provides general information about the licensing included with Pandora CloudCover and is not legal advice."
eleMusic works differently, and this is a material difference: eleMusic's plans do not include a license from ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR. Every location with an active plan or trial gets an Original Catalog Certificate in its name; what the certificate covers, and what it does not.
eleMusic is PRO-free: it never registers its tracks with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR, so there is no performing rights fee for the music you play through eleMusic. Radio, TV, music on hold and any other music you play still need their own licenses. We cannot control or verify what others register, and we do not promise that no PRO or other person will contact you or make a claim. The certificate describes our catalog and your subscription; it does not determine your practice's legal obligations. The certificate is not a license from any performing rights organization and is not legal advice.
ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GMR are trademarks of their respective owners. eleMusic is not affiliated with or endorsed by any performing rights organization.
For the copyright background in the statute's own words, read do dental offices need a music license? If a letter has already arrived, see what to do about a letter from ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or GMR.
What music does each one play?
The two Pandora products offer music by what both call top artists. eleMusic does not.
- Pandora for Business: "Pandora for Business gives you all the top stations, popular genres, and favorite artists you want to hear." You pick stations through your own Pandora account.
- Pandora CloudCover: "Millions of tracks from top artists" (pandora.com/business) and "1,500+ stations" (pricing page). CloudCover also has a page titled "Music for Medical & Dental Offices".
- eleMusic: Original instrumental music, generated and mastered by eleMusic. No vocals, no ads, no commercial recordings. It has 8 stations. Hear a 30 second preview of each station or read how the music is made.
What equipment does each one need?
All three can run on equipment many offices already own, and each has its own way of doing it.
- Pandora for Business lists two options in its FAQ: "A Mood Media player, which connects to your sound system using standard RCA audio cables", or "Your own iOS or Android phone or tablet, with the Pandora for Business app installed and connected to your sound system." Its subscription page says you cannot buy player and own-device subscriptions in the same order.
- Pandora CloudCover says all you need is "your computer, speakers and an RCA or auxiliary cable", and that you can use an iOS or Android phone or tablet "to control your music". Its trial FAQ (read October 11, 2026) adds that, to stream music during the trial, you can "use the Pandora CloudCover App if you have an iOS/Android tablet or phone". Its CloudBox player is an option ("CloudBox fee applies").
- eleMusic plays in a web browser: open elemusic.fm/play on a tablet or laptop connected to the room's speakers and enter the access code; the player can also cast to a TV. Staff need no account. How it works.
What do they say about trials, contracts and cancelling?
The three differ most here, including on whether a trial needs a card.
- Pandora for Business: "Pandora for Business is a month-to-month subscription with no minimum commitment period." On cancelling, its FAQ says: "Service will remain active until the end of the current billing cycle. No partial or prorated refunds are given." Its agreement gives first-time customers on a monthly plan a refund if they cancel "within the first 30 days from the date of purchase", and says "Mood Media shall not issue refunds in the event that You cancel a yearly plan." We found no trial offer on the Pandora for Business pages listed under Sources.
- Pandora CloudCover: its pricing page offers a 14-day trial of any plan and says a credit card is not required for it. Its FAQ says "you can cancel your CloudCover subscription through your account at any time", and its agreement says "subscription charges are non-refundable and cancellation will be effective at the end of Customer’s then-current billing cycle." CloudCover says its annual plan will "save 10% off the cost of month-to-month billing."
- eleMusic: New locations start with a 14-day trial. A card is required and nothing is due at checkout. A reminder goes to the billing email before the trial ends, and you can cancel in Manage billing or by emailing hello@elemusic.fm. Unless you cancel before the trial ends, the card is charged the plan price when it ends. Cancel anytime in Manage billing, or by emailing hello@elemusic.fm. Cancelling takes effect at the end of the period you have paid for. Annual plans cost ten times the monthly price, so two months are free. Details are in the Refund and Cancellation Policy.
Which one fits which practice?
This depends on what your team wants to hear and how many rooms play different music at once.
- If your team wants hit songs and named artists, both Pandora products advertise them, and eleMusic does not play them.
- If you want a business service whose own pages describe public performance licensing as part of the price, both Pandora products say that, in the words quoted above. eleMusic's plans do not include a PRO license.
- If you want instrumental music with no vocals and no commercial recordings, and each operatory on its own station, eleMusic counts devices rather than zones: $24 a month covers up to 5 devices at one location. See pricing.
- If you are comparing more than these three, our comparison of dental office music services sets more vendors side by side.
What should we ask before we choose?
Ask the vendor:
- Which Pandora product is this quote for, and which company will our agreement be with?
- For CloudCover: is the zone price $12.95 or $13 a month, and how many additional zones would our rooms need?
- For Pandora for Business: how many subscriptions do we need if each operatory plays a different station, and what does each player cost on a monthly plan?
- What happens to the price at renewal, and how much notice do you give before a change?
Ask your attorney:
- Does the licensing this service's agreement describes fit the way our practice plays music, room by room?
- Do the agreement's exclusions touch anything we do, such as videos on a waiting room TV or digital signage?
- What else do we play that sits outside any music service, such as radio, TV or hold music, and what does each need?
Sources
- Pandora Services Terms of Use, Section 9 "Pandora for Business", last updated April 16, 2024, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora for Business by Mood Media: home page, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora for Business: Subscription page and prices, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora for Business by Mood Media: Licensed Music for Your Business, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora for Business: Support Center FAQ, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora for Business Service Agreement (Mood Media), updated February 23, 2024, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover: Music for Business (pandora.com/business), accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover Pricing, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover Support Center: Does Pandora CloudCover cover my music licensing? (August 11, 2026), accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover Support Center: Understanding Locations and Zones (January 2024), accessed October 11, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover Support Center: Zones, music for every area of your business (February 3, 2026), accessed October 11, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover blog: Pandora CloudCover Zones: How They Work, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover blog: SiriusXM Acquires Cloud Cover Media, Inc. (January 13, 2022), accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover Subscription Services Agreement, updated and effective June 1, 2026, accessed October 10, 2026
- Pandora CloudCover: Music for Medical & Dental Offices, accessed October 10, 2026
- eleMusic Refund and Cancellation Policy, accessed October 10, 2026
- eleMusic Terms of Service, Section 14.4: Automatic renewal (version 2026-10-11), accessed October 11, 2026
- eleMusic Terms of Service, Section 14.14: United States Locations only (version 2026-10-11), accessed October 11, 2026
Hear it in your own rooms.
Eight instrumental stations and one access code, on a tablet or laptop in each room, or cast to your TV. From $15 a month for one device; Practice covers up to 5 devices for $24.
New locations start with a 14-day trial. A card is required and nothing is due at checkout. A reminder goes to the billing email before the trial ends, and you can cancel in Manage billing or by emailing hello@elemusic.fm. Unless you cancel before the trial ends, the card is charged the plan price when it ends. See the Terms of Service and the Refund and Cancellation Policy.