Background music

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Template:Short description Template:Other uses Template:More citations needed Background music (British English: piped music) is a mode of musical performance in which the music is not intended to be a primary focus of potential listeners, but its content, character, and volume level are deliberately chosen to affect behavioral and emotional responses in humans such as concentration, relaxation, distraction, and excitement. Listeners are uniquely subject to background music with no control over its volume and content. The range of responses created is of great variety, and even opposite, depending on numerous factors such as setting, culture, audience, and even time of day.

Background music is commonly played where there is no audience at all, such as empty hallways, restrooms and fitting rooms. It is also used in artificial space, such as music played while on hold during a telephone call, and virtual space, as in the ambient sounds or thematic music in video games. It is typically played at low volumes from multiple small speakers distributing the music across broad public spaces. Music has proven to improve cognitive processes, enabling the brain to process more information.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The widespread use of background music in offices, restaurants, and stores began with the founding of Muzak, or light background music, in the 1930s and was characterized by repetition and simple musical arrangements.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Its use has grown worldwide and today incorporates the findings of psychological research relating to consumer behavior in retail environments, employee productivity, and workplace satisfaction.<ref name=elev>Lanza, Joseph. Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-listening, and Other Moodsong, University of Michigan Press (2004)</ref>

Due to the growing variety of settings (from doctors' offices to airports), many styles of music are utilized as background music. Because the aim of background music is passive listening, vocals, commercial interruptions, and complexity are typically avoided. In spite of the international distribution common to syndicated background music artists, it is often associated with artistic failure and a lack of musical talent in the entertainment industry. There are composers who write specifically for music syndication services such as Dynamic Media and Mood Media, successors of Muzak, and MTI Digital. Multiple studies have correlated the presence of background music with increased spending in retail establishments.<ref>Milliman, R.E. (1982). Using Background Music to Affect the Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers. Journal of Marketing. 46(3). 86–91.</ref>

Types

Incidental music

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The use of incidental music dates back at least as far as Greek drama. A number of classical composers have written incidental music for various plays, with the more famous examples including Joseph Haydn's Il distratto music,Template:Citation needed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Thamos, King of Egypt music, Ludwig van Beethoven's Egmont music,<ref name=lamothe142/> Franz Schubert's Rosamunde music,<ref>Template:Harvtxt</ref> Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream music, Robert Schumann's Manfred music,<ref name=lamothe142>Template:Harvtxt</ref> Georges Bizet's L'Arlésienne music,<ref>Template:Harvtxt</ref> and Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt music.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Parts of all of these are often performed in concerts outside the context of the play. Vocal incidental music, which is included in the classical scores mentioned above, should not be confused with the score of a Broadway or film musical, in which the songs often reveal character and further the storyline. Vocal incidental music sets the tone for a film through using various beats or sounds, portraying the emotions of certain scenes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since the score of a Broadway or film musical is what actually makes the work a musical, it is far more essential to the work than mere incidental music, which nearly always amounts to little more than a background score; indeed, many plays have no incidental music whatsoever, allowing the actors to express their characters solely through words and their expressions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Furniture music

Template:Main The term furniture music was coined by Erik Satie in 1917, and demonstrated by him in three sets of compositions: Musique d'ameublement (1917), Sons industriels (1920) and Tenture de cabinet préfectoral (1923). It fell into disuse when the composer died a few years later, and the genre was revived several decades later. After his death, furniture music was reinterpreted and programmed in concerts; many individuals found that it filled the awkward pauses, allowing audiences to become better immersed into the performance.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Typical of furniture music are short musical passages, with an indefinite number of repeats.<ref>Hervé Vanel. Triple Entendre: Furniture Music, Muzak, Muzak-Plus, Oxford Academic (2013), ch.1</ref>

Muzak / Elevator music

Template:Main Elevator music (also known as Muzak, piped music, or lift music) is a more general term indicating music that is played in rooms where many people come together (that is, not for the explicit purpose of listening to music), and during telephone calls when placed on hold. There is a specific sound associated with elevator music, but it usually involves simple instrumental themes from "soft" popular music, or "light" classical music being performed by slow strings.<ref name=elev/> More recent types of elevator music may be computer-generated, with the actual score being composed entirely algorithmically.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The term can also be used for kinds of easy listening,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> piano solo, jazz or middle of the road music, or what are known as "beautiful music" radio stations.

Corporate music

Corporate music (or corporate production music) is a term for background music, made to work with company presentations: rather subtle, understated and unobtrusive.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, it should not be confused with "corporate pop" - pop music produced by corporations and that "blurs the line between independent and mainstream".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Video game music

Template:See Also Video game music (VGM) is a soundtrack for video games. Songs may be original and composed specifically for the game, or preexisting music licensed for use in the game. Music in video games can be heard over a game's title screen, menus and during gameplay.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref>

Website music

The early social media website Myspace has supported a feature where specific songs chosen by the user would automatically play on their profile pages.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Group fitness music

Template:Main With the proliferation of boutique fitness classes in the late 2010s, a new emphasis is being placed on properly licensing music to be used by instructors in a group fitness environment. As it is more interactive than traditional background music, the licensing and cost structures differ.

Internet delivered background music

Template:Main Internet-delivered background music was delivered by companies such as Mood Media (which had acquired Trusonic, which had acquired Muzak). This allowed the retailer to instantly update music and messages which were deployed at the store level as opposed to using older compact disc and satellite technologies.Template:Citation needed Using this technique enables the creator to include more meaning in their work and effectively convey their messages. Playing music that affects the mood of the audience evokes many emotions, making the work more memorable.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:AnchorBackground non-music

Business audio

Business audio refers to music and other audio content licensed for use in public or commercial environments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This includes background music services—sometimes called elevator music—and business news programming designed to enhance the customer experience or inform staff and patrons.

Providers of business audio and background music services include:

In the United States, the terms "elevator music" and "Muzak" are commonly used to describe business audio services that deliver background music in retail or hospitality settings.<ref name=":0" />

History

Founded in 1934, Muzak was among the early background music providers.

Business audio is produced off-site and delivered to the client via a number of methods including DBS satellite, SDARS satellite, coaxial cable, FM radio subcarrier, leased line, internet broadband, compact disc, and tape.<ref name=":0">Template:Citation</ref>

Most audio content is licensed for personal and home use only. Business audio services allow clients to use audio content in public and commercial settings by paying appropriate royalties to performing rights organizations like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and GEMA in Germany.Template:Citation needed

Historical devices

See also

References

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Works cited

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