Background music gets new lease of life as bars, stores and hotels use tailored tunes to tempt trade
- Retail spaces want to stand out, and the right music can give them a sense of uniqueness
- Music consultants create playlists to create the right vibe for the bar, restaurant, hotel or store
You might not have noticed – in fact, the idea is that you don’t notice – but background music and improved in recent years. Where once all was generic, now much is tailored to the specific environment where it’s played – most often hotels, shops, restaurants and bars.
And the rise in brands putting more thought into their public musical choices has been followed by an increase in companies providing music curation services.
There are a number of reasons why. For retailers in the age of online shopping, for example, it’s a differentiator – something that enhances the experience of physically going to a shop; while for hotels it’s more about encouraging people to linger in areas such as the lobby, and possibly move on from areas like restaurants. For everyone, though, it’s an issue of branding.
“Every brand wants to have a unique look and feel,” says Rob Wood, founder of UK-based Music Concierge, which works in Hong Kong with clients including Lane Crawford, Swire, Tastings Group and Park Hyatt.
