Here on Long Island N Y there is a supermarket I go too that plays some really good music. It's fun to walk around the store and see people singing, humming and whistling. The music is mainly from the 70's but can be from the 60's and 80's. I'm not talking 1 or 2 people but at least 10 today. This is not that big of a store. The music was Marshal Tucker, J Geils, Steve Miller, The Band, Stones, Beatles. Steely Dan. Talked to The manager a couple of weeks ago. He was happy I was enjoying it. He said " if he had to listen to music all day it was going to be what he like". Have to respect that! So has anyone else notice this in their stores?
Music in Stores
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pauldrewry
Super Member
I went to one store that had different music playing in different areas. Cashier said they play 3 songs and it's on repeat all day long.
xXDEATH666Xx
Well-Known Member
The grocery store was playing Pink Floyd this morning. I guess that means I'm officially old lol
Bill S
Thread Killer
I used to manage a call center and the paid am exorbitant price for a service to play **** times for their on hold music. Basically muzak. I switched to Sirius XM commercial and we played smooth jazz (Watercolors station)
Got a lot of compliments and saved a bundle. This was 20 years ago
Got a lot of compliments and saved a bundle. This was 20 years ago
Lavane
Lunatic Member
The grocery store in my neighborhood switches it up from day to day.
One day may be pop music, I do my shopping as fast as I can on those days, 60's to 90's rock, country and western, that's another speed shopping day for me, Jazz, Blues, etc. It's pretty cool, except for those two music types.
One day may be pop music, I do my shopping as fast as I can on those days, 60's to 90's rock, country and western, that's another speed shopping day for me, Jazz, Blues, etc. It's pretty cool, except for those two music types.
I worked at a store that at Christmas, the songs repeated every hour or so.
arts
Addicted Member
A large-chain grocery store I go to regularly seems to do the classic background music thing. Never thought at my age I'd be hearing Grand Funk Railroad, Steely Dan and the Manhattans while I was doing the grocs. They have a better playlist than our only local "rock" radio station! 
E2
Addicted Member
Guessing SiriusXM. It's today's broader version of Muzak. Many young people that work in places that play this stuff want to kill themselves to it. Punk, Death Medal, Hip Hop, Rap, Swifties, and what ever else the young listen to. (I know, anybody can listen to genre's and artists mentioned regardless of their age)
The local Coffee Shop I hit daily is on a constant XM loop station.
I just once want to walk into a large store and hear Star, Star.........
twiiii
Lunatic Member
There was a satellite company when I was in the business that provided over 40 channels of music you could select from.. Sort of what Directv and Sirus XM radio use to do that gave you plenty of choices for home. A lot of retail stores and resturants used AEI music and AEI paid the royalties for their business customers. Even Muzak when they went with satellite gave teir customers many choice in music type. Some stores tried to use CD changers but when some one showed from the music unions they found themselves in big trouble for not paying ASCAP fees etc etc.
I supose people stream music now days from the internet servers, but you can get in big trouble if you don't pay royalties which pay the musicians playing the music.
I supose people stream music now days from the internet servers, but you can get in big trouble if you don't pay royalties which pay the musicians playing the music.
RunOutGroove
Addicted Member
I still remember when I was a kid and working at a grocery store, how the music was this ultra-crappy Musak stuff, that was basically easy listening instrumental versions of the pop hits of the day. It's then kind of shocking to think about the music I hear piped into the the grocery store that I usually shop at, which is real type music, not Musak (which of course was over many years ago), but isn't the kind of stuff that I might expect to hear, like classic rock or current type pop stuff. I often hear stuff from my very own collection, like Television or Brian Eno. All of the kind of arty rock that I was into as a teen (and still am), much of which wasn't even really new at that time and certainly wasn't the kind of thing that I'd be likely to hear anywhere, outside of a few friends' houses, is now on playlists all over! I hear that kind of thing at the grocery store, the coffee shop and am really not surprised to hear it just about anyplace that I might be. The world has gotten hip it seems, and maybe the young folks that mostly work in these places and choose the music are just bored of classic rock, 90s grunge and contemporary music, which mostly sounds to me like ultra-slick, rather generic pop, so they're mining the past for the lesser well known good stuff!
colortrakker
Thinking in color...
The Ahold chains, collectively known as Martin's Giant & Shop (the one with the bowl of fruit as their logo) use the In-Store Audio Network. I guess it's a satellite-type thing like XM or Muzak Mood. Pretty diverse playlist. IKEA has had some pretty interesting instrumental stuff the past couple times I've been there. I think it's custom-made for them.
I i stalled thousands of those music systems in stores all across the country, along with all the tv screens hanging.
Most the systems have many channels that the managers can pick from. Many of the music providers have gone out of business over the years, the likes of DMX, AEI, Musak, to name a few.
Most the systems have many channels that the managers can pick from. Many of the music providers have gone out of business over the years, the likes of DMX, AEI, Musak, to name a few.
This is how "things" have changed. I heard the Beastie Boys' "Brass Monkey" playing at 60dB Muzak level in a Hyatt Regency Hotel elevator.
Everyone was looking at their phones, so no one mentioned anything.
grillebilly
Empty Head
Yes and no. If he runs the store and they have to play music, he needs to find something he likes that doesn't drive people away. Dad rock is probably the least offensive genre.
That said, I'm a music dickhead, and if I have to listen to something I can't stand, I'm not shopping there. Small doses of classic rock I can deal with but would rather have nothing play than some stuff that's been beaten to death for the last 40 years.
intro6
Well-Known Member
I'm with you on that, and it's not because I dislike classic rock in general. I would just rather listen to it on my own terms, when and where. Even worse is when that piped in music is largely or entirely missing one of it's stereo channels due to a defective audio system. Don't laugh. I've heard this in places on more than a few occasions.
BilboBaggins
Addicted Member
I've noticed this as well. My local Value Village was playing the Pixies "Where is my Brain" the other day. This is the kind of classic music I want to hear when I am shopping. Stuff that was either B-side or wasn't even in the top 40s of the classic rock stations.A large-chain grocery store I go to regularly seems to do the classic background music thing. Never thought at my age I'd be hearing Grand Funk Railroad, Steely Dan and the Manhattans while I was doing the grocs. They have a better playlist than our only local "rock" radio station!
CHOM isn't close to what it used to be. At least it is better than Ottawa's stations.
I think they are just cheap! They put the cheapest music they can get on. Which is the top 40s music. That has been beaten to death. And for that reason, people don't listen to the radio as much. Sad.
