Fourth floor, please

July 9, 2013 12:27 PM

Does elevator music make you buy more stuff? Skeptoid's Brian Dunning explores the history and science of the insidious beast that is Musak. Can carefully crafted, topically tempoed, thoughtfully themed music cause consumers to part with more of their money?
posted by Annie Savoy (35 comments total)

Yes, but only if it is vibrated into your skull.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:53 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

This proves it, We are all (muzaked) DEVO
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:54 PM on July 9, 2013

Is Muzak even a thing anymore? I assumed they figured out a long time ago that Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home" was the key to driving sales in any retail environment. Because that's all I hear anymore.

Also, I'm 52 and I've never been in an elevator that played music. Never.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 12:54 PM on July 9, 2013 [2 favorites]

Also, I'm 52 and I've never been in an elevator that played music. Never.

And if you had been (I have) Muzak would not have been the company that provided it, because that's not, in fact, one of the services they provide.

As to Muzak being "a thing" I believe that Muzak, these days, doesn't do rerecordings of music so much as put together "scientifically" designed playlists of existing recorded music which are designed to make your workers more productive or your customers more spendthrift or whatever.
posted by yoink at 1:02 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

Fortunately, "The Girl From Ipanema" is one of my favorite songs.
posted by Gelatin at 1:03 PM on July 9, 2013 [8 favorites]

I assumed they figured out a long time ago that Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home" was the key to driving sales in any retail environment.

That's interesting, because I thought that "Sunny" was all I ever heard played in any store. Maybe this is what's really behind the economic crisis?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 1:06 PM on July 9, 2013

Is Muzak even a thing anymore?

Muzak, best known for its inoffensive, unobtrusive, ultra-bland music is changing its brand name. The company announced today that it will now be known as Mood, after Muzak's owner, Mood Media. It's chairman and CEO said in a statement that this marked the end of an iconic American brand, or as fast company put it, the musical equivalent of white bread.

posted by audi alteram partem at 1:13 PM on July 9, 2013 [2 favorites]

Muzak, these days, doesn't do rerecordings of music so much as put together "scientifically" designed playlists of existing recorded music ...

Right. The company has never provided music for actual elevators, though plenty of other companies that make vocals-free, easy-listening-type music do. (That would be the kleenex-ized generic usage of "muzak"). Muzak (the company) focuses on providing appropriate tunes for stores and restaurants, in order to promote a specific mood or goal for the given environment.
posted by Annie Savoy at 1:16 PM on July 9, 2013

Easy listening isn't.
posted by Celsius1414 at 1:20 PM on July 9, 2013 [3 favorites]

Fortunately, "The Girl From Ipanema" is one of my favorite songs.

I can never hear that song without thinking of this ("The Lounge Bar" by The Front Lawn). Which is vaguely thematically related.
posted by yoink at 1:26 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

I would joyfully welcome old-fashioned "lobotomized popular music you can ignore" over the "HERP-A-DERP-A-DERP-A COUNTRY ROADS, HERP-A-DERP-A-DERP-A PICKUP TRUCK" country radio that seems to be playing in every single store I go into these days.
posted by usonian at 1:27 PM on July 9, 2013 [3 favorites]

Back in early '70's I worked for a time for Associated TV which owned ATV Music.
There was non stop piped music throughout the offices and I am sure it was used as a mood enhancer.
Between 0900 and 0930 it would be kind of janty slowing down to bland to settle us worker ants into our thrilling day.
There would be a slight upbeat of tempo around 1100 - tea break, and then drone on to about 1255 when it became ''visible'' again probably to remind us to stop playing with our paperclips and go and use our luncheon Vouchers.
Just after 1400 it used to settle down again and about quarter to five get a bit upbeat - time to put away the coloured biros and clear the desk and go home.
The music was definitely used as a pacifier as was explained to me by some white coated soul from music who also said they were playing with different rhythms for different effects. We never got the riot music, that was on the street. Anyway I am sure that music can be used in Supermarkets to wake shoppers to the fact that here is an offer, maybe slightly louder in that section, anything to jolt the senses from the normal mindnumbing chore of where the fuck have they moved the soap powder to this week.
posted by adamvasco at 1:34 PM on July 9, 2013 [3 favorites]

Supermarkets around here have been playing more 80s music lately. Echo and the Bunnymen? In aisle seven? Really? Talking Heads and early Madonna have been turning up as well. My assumption is that people around 45-55 years old are a key demographic being targeted.

I've heard "Kids" by MGMT in several stores in the last month, including Nordstrom. It does have a very insistent hook, though, so it may be easier to pick out of the background noise than other tracks.
posted by gimonca at 1:44 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

I shop at Target whenever I can specifically because they don't play music. It's a really pleasant change from all the other stores. Especially around Christmas.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 1:51 PM on July 9, 2013 [3 favorites]

For whatever reason, every time I have gone to the grocery in the past few months, I've heard Phil Collins. Without fail. Usually multiple times. Until I went to this particular grocery, I hadn't heard him since the early 90s.

This doesn't encourage me to buy any differently than I am aware of - Instead, I feel a rising urge to launch a shopping cart at carefully stacked jars.
posted by MysticMCJ at 1:54 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

We have a nice local craft store that I shop at occasionally, and every time I do, I have to mentally brace myself in advance for the onslaught of godawful easy-listening muzak. I find it impossible to ignore, so it has the opposite of what I assume is the intended effect of getting me to buy more: instead I'm in and out of there as rapidly as possible.

I'm not sure why they think all people interested in crafts or sewing or who need artwork framed want to hear syrupy, clarinet versions of old rock songs. I certainly don't -- and I'll bet many younger customers are so turned off by the cloying, dated music that they never come back.

Perhaps it's time for me to drop the store an email suggesting that their determinedly inoffensive music is highly offensive to the ears of at least one shopper.
posted by Annie Savoy at 1:55 PM on July 9, 2013

I shop at Target whenever I can specifically because they don't play music.

I had never realized that. We're planning to go to Target tomorrow, and I'll be listening for absence of music.
posted by Annie Savoy at 1:56 PM on July 9, 2013

I've noticed that the music has been getting louder, and my pet theory is that it's to make it more difficult to compare prices, to remember the list of things you came in to buy, and to do arithmetic in your head while shopping.

And what about the subliminal messages? Do they still do that?
posted by ceribus peribus at 2:00 PM on July 9, 2013

Do they still do that?

Still?
posted by yoink at 2:13 PM on July 9, 2013

I once sat in with a group who decided to use their 30 minute festival slot for 'performance art': 'Girl from Ipanema' except we don't go to the turnaround until 28:30.

I don't know if it worked from the audience perspective, but I thought it killed...you could see the crowd breath a collective sigh of relief when we finally went to the change.
posted by j_curiouser at 2:15 PM on July 9, 2013 [3 favorites]

My favorite use of muzak in a movie: In Grosse Point Blank, professional hitman Martin Blank (John Cusack) goes to visit his childhood home and finds that it's been torn down and replaced with a food mart. When he's outdoors, the Guns 'n' Roses version of "Live and Let Die" is playing; when he enters the store, the soundtrack switches to a muzak version of the song. It's an extremely clever means of expressing first his anger and then his inability to cope with the situation.
posted by Annie Savoy at 2:45 PM on July 9, 2013 [7 favorites]

I'm with ceribus peribus, I have noticed the music becoming much more obtrusive in stores lately, and I too suspect that it's meant to distract you.

You're trying to do the math on two different sizes of laundry detergent, or stick to your list, and if the song can distract you for just a second you may make a hasty decision that is likely to favor the store. Maybe you just grab the bigger one, or you suddenly notice that endcap display of pasta sauce. It only takes a split second and they have a sale.

I mainly hear 80s and 90s pop music at grocery stores these days. Jewel, Phil Collins, Mike + The Mechanics, Mr. Mister, that sort of thing.
posted by ErikaB at 3:20 PM on July 9, 2013

It don't keep me in, but it sure as hell can chase me out.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:02 PM on July 9, 2013

I'm with ceribus peribus, I have noticed the music becoming much more obtrusive in stores lately, and I too suspect that it's meant to distract you.

It's because we baby boomers are becoming hard of hearing.


Also, I'm 52 and I've never been in an elevator that played music.

I rest my case.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:11 PM on July 9, 2013

I dunno about making me buy more stuff, but if I'm in a shop and Come On Eileen starts playing—no matter how muzaked or abstracted the version—I can't leave until it finishes. It's like an enchantment, cast upon me by the dungareed, bandannaed elevator music faerie.

Tangentially, I'm surprised to see Skeptoid's still operating. Brian Dunning recently pleaded guilty to wire fraud (for a really lucrative ebay 'cookie-stuffing' scheme) and I thought there might have been a custodial sentence attached.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 4:19 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

Brian Dunning recently pleaded guilty to wire fraud

I'm extremely sorry to hear that -- I had no idea. Skeptoid has been one of my favorite podcasts, but now my opinion of its creator is significantly tarnished.
posted by Annie Savoy at 4:28 PM on July 9, 2013

Brian Eno releases his Music for Muzak album.
posted by tservo at 5:43 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

Funny, In the late 90s, I worked for the company that transitioned Muzak to a digital format. I was part of a very small team with a loathsome, evil boss, but wonderful coworkers.

I'd always dreamed of working for Muzak one day having read so much about their history. They figured in a lot of conspiracy lit back in the 80s and 90s and I was a sucker for that stuff, especially the Amok Press writings. Pretty sure that's where I first stumbled on them.

The music programmers told me that a number of the grunge heroes worked for them on contract in Seattle where my company, AEI, was based. Never could find out if that was true. Larry the White Guy from Sir Mixalot's posse (mentioned in My Posse's On Broadway) was a friend there and I doubt he'd lie about that.

I quit when the evil boss stole one too many of my ideas and timed it so I could get out of there in time for the massive WTO protests with my marching band. The engineers gave me dat player/recorders, mixers, an office chair, and a fantastic pair of Sennheiser headphones as a going away present. What a weird and interesting place that was to be in for a few years. Still have those headphones, too.
posted by artof.mulata at 6:10 PM on July 9, 2013 [2 favorites]

My local Key Food plays 70's top 40 almost exclusively, which I imagine makes people in my age range feel nostalgic and relaxed, which probably makes us buy more stuff.
posted by jonmc at 6:12 PM on July 9, 2013

Really old Straight Dope column on Muzak.
posted by Chrysostom at 8:52 PM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

There's no secret or surprise that music has been used to enhance moods ever since the first cavemen hit rocks with sticks.

I dunno. It is somewhat surprising that you observed the first caveman. Or did his friends tell you?
No, wait--the first caveman didn't have any friends.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 8:54 PM on July 9, 2013

My local Five Guys has the perfect piped in music. One day it is Echo and the Bunnymen, another day it is Stevie Wonder. I think they just cycle through a few satellite stations but it is all good.

Worst on earth - the ski mountain I go to in NH. Do I need to hear Sweet Home Alabama and other tired stuff on a ski lift in New England? Hell no.
posted by drowsy at 8:56 PM on July 9, 2013

I love Skeptoid, but if you wish it was just about advertising check out Australia's show The Gruen Transfer.

I like JB Hi-Fi, since they let employees pick the music and they usually play stuff I like. Though I tend to wear my headphones in malls and stores.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 12:22 AM on July 10, 2013

CVS BANGERS IS THE AUDIOSCAPE FOR WHEN YOU'RE BUYING TAMPONS OR A 12 PACK OF CONDOMS, A SAMPLING OF THOSE MAGIC TUNES THAT PLAY WHEN YOU'RE CONTEMPLATING HOW RIDICULOUS YOU WOULD LOOK CARRYING 24 ROLLS OF TIOLET PAPER ON THE TRAIN, THOSE BITTERSWEET TUNES OF YESTERYEAR THAT SKIP THROUGH YOUR MIND AS YOU READ THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE BACK OF A BOX OF FROZEN PIZZA AND OPT FOR A PINT OF ICE CREAM INSTEAD, THOSE SPECIAL DITTIES THAT ACCOMPANY YOUR SMASHING THE BAR CODE OF A CAN OF RED BULL AGAINST THE SCANNER OF BROKEN SELF-CHECKOUT MACHINE. CVS BANGERS IS COMMERCE ITSELF, AND COMMERCE, MY FACELESS INTERNET FRIENDS, IS BEAUTIFUL.
posted by nixt at 12:32 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

It's been over 20 years since I first heard a muzak version of the REM song in a store. Ugh.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't leave this here. I had a copy I picked up when I worked at record store. It was a hoot. So old. So very, very old.
posted by entropicamericana at 11:33 AM on July 10, 2013