Wikipedia provides a reasonably comprehensive history of the company. Far more interesting is a New Yorker profile of what the company actually does these days, which might best be described as enhancing the retail experience for customers. Dana McKelvey, a Muzak programmer, is quoted in the article:
"Take Armani Exchange. Shoppers there are looking for clothes that are hip and chic and cool. They're twenty-five to thirty-five years old, and they want something to wear to a party or a club, and as they shop they want to feel like they're already there. So you make the store sound like the coolest bar in town. You think about that when you pick the songs, and you pay special attention to the sequencing, and then you cross-fade and beat-match and never break the momentum, because you want the program to sound like a d.j.'s mix."
I gather that the company has been losing money for a number of years. Although it does plan to continue operations, Muzak's bankruptcy filing listed liabilities in excess of $370 million and assets of just $50,000, not an appealing ratio by any means.
From time to time I patronize a small food coop in Swarthmore. I have no idea if its sound system is by Muzak, but every time I shop there I hear a song that reminds me of an ex-girlfriend. The experience is a pleasant trip down memory lane, but I don't believe I buy more food simply because I might happen to hear Everything But the Girl perform a song that once meant the world to me.
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