Piped music in shops.

candygirl

Jagraf wrote: »

I feel like that in pubs. You go in for a drink and a natter and can hardly hear yourself think.

I don't mind if its full of kids or a wine bar etc, but the local pub :eek:

Even worse if you're eating!I can't bear it:mad:

Richard53

My problem is that, if music is playing, I have to listen to it, and I mean properly listen. I can't have music on in the background, because if I did I would never get any work done. So while I can accept that shops like to have background music, I don't necessarily enjoy it. I don't mind silence at all.


And when they start playing Christmas music in October ...

DFlights

Richard, that is exactly like me!

I have serious problems with music anyway - most of it just sounds like random noise to me, and it's really unpleasant (which is probably why I have very limited musical taste), and the sensory overload I experience in most shops is overwhelming and distressing.

Same goes for workplaces too - I've never understood the need for anything on in the background? I get by just fine with peace and quiet, and having done ten hour days with the local radio station playing the same round of songs every hour, it starts to grate very quickly. I'm now struggling in self-employment because I can't cope with what almost everyone else thinks of as a "normal" working environment. Even earplugs don't help, as the noise still gets through them.

fluffnutter

Some things I've found interesting about this topic...

There is a correlation between sales and music, particularly sales of food, and especially in restaurants. If you play people loud, fast music they tend to eat and drink more. This effect is also seen to a lesser extent when buying food to eat at home, e.g. in a supermarket.

When people are asked if they like piped music, about 70% don't care or don't notice, 10% actively like it, 20% actively dislike it. Places which play music often justify their choice to do so by lumping the 70% in with the 10% and saying that 'only 20% of the population don't like it, so it's a good thing to do'....

... however, the effect on that 20% of being subjected to music they don't want to hear is much greater than the effect of silence on the 10% who do enjoy piped music.

For some, being played piped music is very stressful. It raises blood pressure, raises the level of stress hormones, it affects concentration and mood and it's not an exaggeration to say that many feel assaulted. The World Health Organisation attributes around 200,000 deaths a year to unwanted noise, primarily piped music, owing to increasing the risk of heart attacks in those who are particularly susceptible.

I'm not a fan. That's an understatement.

fluffnutter

DFlights wrote: »

Richard, that is exactly like me!

I have serious problems with music anyway - most of it just sounds like random noise to me, and it's really unpleasant (which is probably why I have very limited musical taste), and the sensory overload I experience in most shops is overwhelming and distressing.

Same goes for workplaces too - I've never understood the need for anything on in the background? I get by just fine with peace and quiet, and having done ten hour days with the local radio station playing the same round of songs every hour, it starts to grate very quickly. I'm now struggling in self-employment because I can't cope with what almost everyone else thinks of as a "normal" working environment. Even earplugs don't help, as the noise still gets through them.

I couldn't agree more. When I moved roles, I joined an office where local commercial radio station was played all day. Cutting a very long story short, I ended up leaving. My distress wasn't taken at all seriously. HR were prepared to help but only if I had a 'medical condition'. I wish I'd known then about misophonia (although I don't think I have that - I just simply want to work in an office without terrible pop music, jingles and adverts blaring at me all day).

catkins

I used to be a secretary and the best office I worked in was one where the radio was on all day. The only trouble was that I was an audio typist so could not hear the music very well. If something came on that I liked I would stop typing and listen! I think a few of us did that. Sounds really bad doesn't it but the solicitors there were happy with me and my work so I must have got enough done!

DFlights

What Fluffnutter said is so true for me too - I've had to leave jobs because the radio noise has been too much. I've also self-harmed at work in the past, because bashing my head against a wall or other hard surface seemed like the best way to distract myself from the noise, which is akin to being hit repeatedly on the head with a hammer. All I got for that was no help from my GP and a reputation as a nutter.
Even worse were a couple of places where I worked which were open plan, and where two radios would be playing two different stations at the same time. That's even worse.

catkins

DFlights wrote: »

What Fluffnutter said is so true for me too - I've had to leave jobs because the radio noise has been too much. I've also self-harmed at work in the past, because bashing my head against a wall or other hard surface seemed like the best way to distract myself from the noise, which is akin to being hit repeatedly on the head with a hammer. All I got for that was no help from my GP and a reputation as a nutter.
Even worse were a couple of places where I worked which were open plan, and where two radios would be playing two different stations at the same time. That's even worse.

I couldn't work somewhere I could hear two different radio stations - that would drive me mad.


I absolutely love music and listen to cd's a lot. I find they help my depression and my SAD. I do find though that I have an intolerance to other noise which has got worse as I have got older and also since suffering from headaches and migraines. Things like cars sitting with their engines running annoy me and car doors slamming make we want to scream. I think some of my neighbours must own cars with about 10 doors!

shopbot

OP - The way the chain shops choose music and the volume it's played at is purely down to market research. Like with all the other choices they make about their stores (stock, decor, lighting) it's based on their target customer. They will likely have a couple of target demographics but there will be a core one. So it in theory if you don't like the music you may not be their target customer!

Elsewhere

On the whole I find the music irritating - except in our local Co-op where the management seem to think the Red Hot Chilli Peppers will improve sales! Works on me, at least .