Sound Leisure marked a notable return to the pub sector at this week’s ARE Expo in Manchester, unveiling its brand-new IO background music system designed specifically for the hospitality market.

Best known for its iconic jukeboxes and work in the consumer and luxury sectors, Sound Leisure had previously stepped back from direct involvement with pub retail. However, with the launch of this new division and a series of key appointments to drive the initiative, the company is re-entering the pub scene with renewed focus and innovation.

The IO system is built around the growing popularity of playlist culture and enables pub groups and venues within a pubco to share curated playlists across multiple sites: allowing popular music selections to be easily replicated and adapted to different environments and audiences.

“People often forget that, as well as being jukebox manufacturers, we also operate a large music estate ourselves,” said Chris Black, Sound Leisure’s MD. “We developed this system to meet our own high standards – and felt it was so good we should market it to the wider industry.”

“The launch positions Sound Leisure at the forefront of the evolving background music space,” he added. “Now we’re offering pubs a more connected and customisable solution to enhance atmosphere, consistency, and customer experience.”