Final Blog!

 

Why Music Brings us Together

Over the years many companies have started playing music out loud for people in hopes to lighten the mood as well as bring us together. It is common for music to be expected in places of public gatherings such as grocery stores or gyms. I have been experiencing this throughout the years and find it to be a fascinating topic that if multiple people listen to the same song then it brings them closer together. The difference between the gym and grocery stores is the atmosphere it creates. Grocery stores try to create a lighthearted atmosphere that eases you while you shop while the gym will have more active and energizing music to get people to be more engaged and active.

When I was working at Planet Fitness, us as the staff were allowed to connect to the gym speakers and play music for the people working out. In training we were told that the music needed to be appropriate for all ages as well as upbeat to help the customers work out. While there was usually upbeat music playing, whenever there was a slower song there appeared to be a difference in the way people were feeling. The upbeat music helped fortify people working towards a common goal and helped lift their spirits, in turn building a stronger community of like minded individuals.

The way that we as staff would usually choose the songs was based on their tempos. The songs with the quicker tempos usually helped increase peoples heart beat in turn making them move quicker subconsciously. This helps motivate people towards their goals and helps them feel better when they are in the gym. Overall the tempo helps people move and they end up trying to keep up with the music. 

The lyrics of the music is something that the gym needed to be mindful of as well. Within the music that we played for people it needed to follow certain guidelines. The music needed to be something any age could listen to and thoroughly enjoy. This made it a little difficult because not everyone has the same taste in music and not everyone is allowed to listen to cursing. We would often look for songs that were early to mid 2000’s and a vast majority of the people enjoyed listening to them. The lyrics were usually well known and the people could vibe to the songs because a majority of the people knew them. The lyrics definitely helped bring people closer together because they could listen and bond over the fact that they all knew the same songs. 

The rhythm is arguably the most important part of the music. The rhythm is the part of the music that gets people going and it seems as though the more consistent the rhythm, the better it was for a gym song. The members usually work out in sets of 8 or 10 and if there is a song that is following a steady rhythm then they can use that to their advantage. The rhythm can help the people keep track of their sets and motivate them to work harder.

A song that fits the previously mentioned criteria is Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles. This is a very upbeat song that many people know and enjoy listening to. While it is not from the mid 2000’s it is commonly known and has a good tempo. The song was very popular during the 90's. It is still relevant and serves a good role of keeping people motivated within the gym. According to a website by Quora the music in the gym is supposed “to create an energetic and motivating atmosphere that can enhance the workout experience. Loud, upbeat music can boost adrenaline, distract from fatigue, and help maintain a high level of intensity.”(Quora, 2023) This song helps bring people together by helping them overcome their hardships. The tempo is fast enough and the rhythm is amazing and it helps people get through the pain of working out.

At grocery stores, music is usually played over the speakers. You are usually greeted by a curated playlist of familiar and uplifting songs. It is usually songs that reach top in the charts so everyone knows them and can shop to the music. Since music ties in with our emotion, there is an increase of impulse purchases when you listen to familiar music (Santangelo, 2023).  The universally recognized top hits create a diverse connection with others as songs are played. Music transforms what could be a mundane or stressful activity into an opportunity for connection with humming or singing along and even a smile to a stranger that may be doing the same thing. When I am shopping, I like to know what is being played on the speakers. Even if it is just background noise, having that being played does enhance my shopping experience. The Wal-Mart here in Fairbanks sometimes doesn’t have anything playing and I can really tell the difference on the way I shop. I am not as enthusiastic about it and want to get in and out.

Another aspect of grocery store music is the nostalgia of it all. This helps create that sense of unison within others as people who are grocery shopping can go back to childhood memories of songs and take that to buy things they usually wouldn’t. There are a lot of aspects of tempo and speed of songs that also impact shoppers. “Happy and upbeat playlists can make shoppers feel more positive and inclined to make impulse purchases. On the other hand, slow and relaxing playlists can make shoppers feel calmer, creating a favorable environment for large or complex purchases (Santangelo, 2023)”

A great musical example that is played in grocery stores is “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. "Here Comes the Sun" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. The Beatles were a rock band that formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England. This song is complex in the ways of the time signature as it is 4/4 in the verse and 11/8 + 4/4 + 7/8 in the bridge. George Harrison from the Beatles wrote this song and pulled inspiration from Indian music (Wikipedia, 2024). The song's BPM is 128 and while that is a little high for grocery store music, the nostalgia and calmness of the music make up for the faster paced music to create a better shopping experience. Even the lyrics of this song are uplifting and make it an easy song to sing along too. The lyrics are simple in the ways that it repeats a lot of the same words but it created such an enticing environment that even just a few years after its release it was used in a presidential campaign. Even more recently in the 2012 Olympics as the closing ceremony song. Overall, a lot of people have covered this song and it has been one of the more popular Beatles songs which is why it makes it a perfect grocery store song. It lets people remember the Beatles while also being uplifting while shopping. That hits both the nostalgia aspect and emotional part.

Overall, music being played in two very different scenarios still has the same impact on bringing people together. Music has the ability to bring a diverse group of people together and impacts our shared experiences. Whether you are building muscle at the gym or going up and down aisles at your grocery store, having that music synchronize and have a sense of nostalgia, makes all the difference in fostering connection with one another. It makes people feel less isolated and it reminds us that we share the same interests even if it is just for a 3 minute song.

Throughout this course, I have listened to various different pieces of music that I would otherwise never listen to. This class has broadened my listening and has helped me understand the importance of music in everyday life. From doing analysis on my favorite songs to picking apart what I like and do not like in music has made me appreciate music all that much more. Even if I do not like certain songs or works, I now understand that even if it isn’t for me, I can appreciate the work and effort that goes into writing, composition, and getting things released to an audience that will accept it.

References

Santangelo, Ryan. “How Grocery Store Music Influences Shopper Behavior.” SiriusXM Music for

Business, 22 Dec. 2023, sxmbusiness.com/how-grocery-store-music-can-impact-shopper-behavior/#:~:text=Familiar%20Music%20and%20Increased%20Sales,a%202.5%25%20increase%20in%20sales. 

“Here Comes the Sun.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Nov. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_Comes_the_Sun.  

“Why Do Gyms Play Music so Loudly?” Quora, www.quora.com/Why-do-gyms-play-music-so-loudly.