SOUNDS LIKE BRANDINGâ„¢ Global Insights in music branding and communication

The report, Myten om musik besannad: En undersökning om musikens betydelse för verksamheter i offentlig miljö (Uncovering a musical myth: A survey on music’s impact in public spaces) clearly shows that ’the right music’ has a positive impact on businesses in public places such as shops and restaurants. ’The right music’, being music that fits the brand or business profile, played at the right volume, making people stay longer, consume more and recommend your business to others. But what happens if a business plays music that is ’wrong’?

When we conducted our survey on 1000 Swedes, we did not only ask about the positive impact of music but about the negative impact as well. We wanted to know the effect of ‘the wrong music’ being played and asked the respondents if music could make them leave a place, not come back, recommend others not to visit, or buy less, and why.

We also asked people if they have ever been inspired by the music being played when visiting a business in a public place, and if this has introduced them to new music and artists. Some of the results are shown below.

WRONG MUSIC PLAYED TOO LOUDLY MAKES CONSUMERS LEAVE

We wanted to know if music can have a negative impact on businesses in public places. The results from our survey reveal that ‘the wrong music’ makes 44% of consumers and visitors leave a business and 38% won’t come back. And almost 4 out of 10 also say that ‘the wrong music’ makes them buy less.

As many as 44% (almost every second person!) say that the music being played can, to a high or very high extent, cause them to leave. The important question to us was why? The answer being that people can leave a place if the music there is played at a too loud volume and is blocking the conversation or if the music being played is noisy and irritating.

‘The wrong music’ can make me…

The ones who leave a place do so because the music is…

• 1  Played too loud / Blocking the conversation 52%
• 2  Noisy / Irritating 44%

What would happen if it was totally quiet in a business?

32-41% of the respondents say they would react negatively or very negatively to silence, or more precisely the absence of music in a business such as a shop, restaurant, hairdresser or at the shopping mall. And more than 6 out of 10 of 16-24 year olds would react negatively or very negatively if a gym didn’t play music.

This, together with some of the previous results we’ve published here, shows the importance for businesses not only to play music, but to play it right. That means looking over the music they play – with ‘the right music’ being music that is played at the right volume, matching the brand or business profile.

Businesses as inspirational music sources

We also wanted to know how much people notice the music being played in public. The survey reveals that public places work as a source of inspiration for many! More than half of 16-24 year olds have discovered new music as well as new artists when they have visited a business in a public place.

More than half of 16-24 year olds have discovered new music in a shop or another business in a public place

And many also notice what artist or track it is that is being played. Almost 4 out of 10 16-24 year olds notice the artist or track categorically, and 13% even rate their experience of a business by the music that is played.

How well do people notice the music that is played in public?

You find more results here.

Download full report

(Note: the full report is in Swedish but will soon be published in English)

Music is important for businesses in public places such as shops, restaurants and more. However, it’s not only important to play music. It’s important to play ‘the right music’, i.e. music that fits the brand or business profile, at the right volume. Then consumers will stay longer, re-visit, recommend your business to others as well as buy more from you. But music is not only of value for businesses in public places, it has a positive impact on workplaces as well; it makes workplaces more relaxed and your employees more productive.

These are some of the results our survey reveals, conducted on 1000 Swedes between the ages of 16-64. The respondents in the survey have been asked questions about the impact of music on their everyday lives, public places and at work (public places is used as a generic term for businesses such as shops, shopping malls, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, transportation services, sports stadiums, gym and workplaces).

The results from the survey are published in a report in Swedish, Myten om musik besannad: En undersökning om musikens betydelse för verksamheter i offentlig miljö (Uncovering a musical myth: A survey on music’s impact in public spaces). Below are some of the results.

The importance of music for people in their everyday lives

As regards the importance of music to people, music is ranked as more difficult to live without in everyday life than sports, movies and newspapers. Music also beats TV, radio, arts and literature. Only Internet and mobile phones are ranked higher.

More than 6 out of 10 say that music is important or very important to them in their lives. As for 16-24 year olds, that figure rises to 74%.

The impact music has on businesses in public places

As regards businesses, the survey reveals that ‘the right music’ makes almost 4 out of 10 stay longer in a business in a public place. That figure rises to 50% when it comes to 16-24 year olds. Further, 31% of all people return to a business in a public place which plays music that is appreciated by the visitor, or consumer. 21% recommend the business to others and 14% also say they buy more.

What music is it that is appreciated then? Which music is ‘right’, from the consumers’ point of view?

First and foremost, the music that is played in a shop or a restaurant for example, has to have the right volume. Secondly, it has to match the business’ profile, or brand. It is less important that the music corresponds to the consumers’ personal taste or that it hits the radio charts and they recognise it.

It’s important or very important that the music played in a shop or at a restaurant…

The survey further reveals that ‘the wrong music’, as in noisy or irritating, makes 44% of consumers and visitors leave a business and 38% wont come back. Almost 4 out of 10 also say that ‘the wrong music’ makes them buy less.

The impact music has on employees and workplaces

As regards music in workplaces, more than 6 out of 10 people and as many as 8 out of 10 16-24 year olds listen to music everyday, or at least once a week when they’re at work.

66% of those who listen to music everyday, or at least once a week, think that music affects them in a positive or very positive way at work. Almost 50% of the 16-24 years olds say they love to listen to music at work, and just as many say that music makes them more productive while they’re working. Further, 43% of all people say that music makes the work environment more relaxed. As regards 16-24 year olds, that figure rises to 56%.

You find more results here.

Download full report

(Note: the full report is in Swedish)