JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Industry Message Forum Ambient Music in Hotel Bars - A Linkedin Article

Hey All,

Having travelled a bit in the last few months, I still cant get over how some establishments are so slack with their bar and pool areas regarding music. At one time, sure, but now ? There's just no excuse for bad music in otherwise well run hotels. Put in a decent playlist, ( it's cheap ) keep the patrons there for 2 drinks instead of 1, and you have doubled your turnover. Simple logic to me. So..... thought I might bring up the subject in very simple terms via a Linkedin article.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cocktail-hour-hotel-bars-ambient-music-field-guide-geoff-wood

All comments are welcome.

cheers, niteshift

Because almost all establishments are now involved with streaming services and those services pick the playlists. Music is now SO back ground and so subjective, it is mostly an afterthought. Bars and hotels, really are going to have the same people, no matter the music so it really doesn't matter. People don'\t go to bars or resturants for music any more and half of them are going to be listening to their own playlists on their own Cell phones, I pods, or whatever listening devices they have.

Something ALL creators are going to have to get used to. Music is NOT AS IMPORTANT to the general public anymore. There are no more "stars or songs they HAVE TO LISTEN TO." Music is an afterthought. And all the concern of steaming services, net neutrality and all these by product issues going on, will not change the fact that people now have limitless supply of choices for entertainment.

Just like "video killed the radio star", The Internet killed the ability to make money through music. The sooner people understand and get used to that, the less sleepless nights people can go through. Sometimes you have to face reality and the people not doing that are really trying to fight a battle that has been long over.

MAB

Sorry to say but you guy's are right. Gone are the days of bus station and restaurant juke boxes.

I do consider background music as part of the experience when choosing a restaurant, etc. One lunch spot I used to go to ran me off with a genre I can't stand. It probably was from a streaming service but someone had to choose the station/genre.

Well,
I don't get out much anymore but it is really something when I hear them playing Hank Williams in Cracker Barrel restaurants. or George Jones.

Hey Guys,

All good comments.

Marc, I somewhat agree with you, but I find a big shift now in creating ambience in a venue. Most don't have live music, and if you want live, you need to seek it out. If not, you go where the place and the music is hip. The venue doesn't play pre-made playlists, and the whole idea is to be both creative and "known" to the audience. I never thought I'd see the day where top DJ's are paid $10k's for getting the mix right. Also, I see a shift where, in company, in a social setting, personal devices are considered rude. Especially with the young folks. Back to social interaction perhaps ? Oh, shock horror ~

Hey Ben, there are a few venues about where it's Ok to ask for songs to be added. Just free rather than 10c a pop ?

Colin, yep, play me elevator muzac and I'm running too.

Ray, I'll be sure to add a bit of Hank and George, just to get you to stay for another drink.

I'm putting together a cocktail hour playlist at the moment for a mixed age international and local island audience. Tough call.

On Spotify https://open.spotify.com/user/jlokcmt6xd0qbeatk4c7wfpe2/playlist/0UviqTr587Xhu044ftGQbX

So if you're up for a 5sy or two, just press shuffle, grab a martini or a whiskey sour or a .............. and join me in an upbeat chillax All comments welcome.

cheers, niteshift

PS - and yes, those old kitsch songs have now become cool with the young folks.

I have been exposed to more ear perking music from many wildly differing genres at our local resort grocery store. It ranges from old steel laden country to teen pop that makes it hard to find that particular item in a sea of others. It's from the "Shopper's in store audio network" streaming service. I don't get out much - at all so this is where I find out at least what went on if not what's going on. I like almost all of what I hear so I downloaded Soundhound on my phone so I could find out what I was hearing.

I found out a lot of things that I would not have as the radio on this mountain is just not very adventurous.

Perhaps it's because I grew up in an era where music was almost as important as a Saturday Double Feature... but I think it is still important for a Restaurant or Hotel Bar to cater to the perceived taste of the clientele. Along those same lines, whenever I accompany my better-half to Hobby Lobby and find a quiet corner where I can sit down and wait for her to buy the entire store... LOL... I am sometimes amazed at the instrumental Christian Music being softly played over their sound system. I listen and try to remember the name of the Gospel Tune or Hymn being served up so tastefully, sometimes as jazz, sometimes as nearly secular music... and sometimes as sweetly as when I first heard it in Church so long ago.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to disagree... just to point out that all of us have different "ears" and musical taste. I put BB King and Merle Haggard on the same pedestal(s) musically... along with Don Williams and Rachmaninoff. Music is such a treasure and when I am gone... I hope that something I wrote will have been recorded by someone of stature and talent... and maybe I'll be remembered for a bit longer.

Happy New Year, ----Dave

Most people hate MuZak, but I happen to like it, it reminds me of my childhood, when my mom would take me to a department store.

Today I heard Boston.

Hey Ronnnie,

I'll see your Boston and raise you one Toto - Africa Yeeeeeeech......

cheers, niteshift

Ok I fold, All I have is A Man I'll never be" and a pair of Dire Straits "Walk of life"

Try to find what you're lookin for with that clanging over your head.

Like everything, "Muzak" is not "Muzak" anymore. Companies now are on subscription services, so pretty much any kind of music can be played. "Ain't your daddy's Montovanni.

Hey Marc,

Yep, quite true, and it's so cheap to stream, so no excuse. It can even be tailored on a song by song basis with original recordings.

So WHY am I hearing "slit my wrists" music in the lobby/pool area ? On more than one occasion I must say.......

Hmm, ..... now there's a business venture. I will increase your gross take, simply by adjusting the music, and I'll only take 10 % of your increase.

A suitable job title ? How about ....... Executive Corporate Musical Director responsible for the Elimination of Kack Music in Hotel Common Areas ?

cheers, niteshift