I've noticed this same thing when I go to restaurants or some cafes to work, especially chains. I find myself so annoyed by the music in just a few hours, I have to leave. But maybe that is the point? I feel sorry for the employees, though.
Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
81–90 of 321 posts
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#82I am never in a Starbucks for long enough to really notice the music. There usually isn't any place to sit, as the place seems to turn into an office or study space, with Macbooks (rarely something else) taking up nearly every seat.
That's the whole idea of Starbucks - it's the third place.
I have never been the kind to want to work from a cafe, but I know plenty who do it. Fair enough. I'm more of the kind who wants to meet friends to have a conversation at a cafe, which we really can't do when the seats are gobbled up by people who are camped out there all day long. There are cafes where this doesn't happen, and they seem to be the ones without free wifi. I guess there's a market for each.
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#83I used to work in the back room of a Target and the stereo was always tuned to the same radio station. They just played 12 songs, in a loop, 24/7. I always knew which song would come on next before it did. I think most radio stations are like that- they just have a loop of about an hour of music that they play, and most people aren't in the car long enough to figure out it's just the same songs over and over.
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#84In general I don’t understand why people think that it’s ok to pollute every bit of space with noise of their choice (aka music). I view it as a big nuisance.
I notice this with some people in general, that seems to always want to pollute the air with words when sometimes, there is beauty in silence. And then I get called "quiet" for not doing the same. Ugh.
I know a few people that for some reason feel the need to narrate what I can see with my own eyes.
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#85Downvote me to hell but seriously
#firstworldproblems
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#86In general I don’t understand why people think that it’s ok to pollute every bit of space with noise of their choice (aka music). I view it as a big nuisance.
> In general I don’t understand why people think that it’s ok to pollute every bit of space with noise of their choice (aka music). I view it as a big nuisance.
I presume your comment was addressed to businesses, but I've noticed it for people as well; there seems to be a growing trend of believing that it's perfectly OK to listen to music, or watch TV, in public, without headphones, and without even a minimal attempt to lower the volume. I've noticed this increasingly over time in the US on trains and—this one really gets me—in the bathroom. (I suppose I can see watching a video in there, but without headphones?)
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#87I've noticed that the music a coffee shop plays has a big effect on whether or not I want to come back regularly. It doesn't have to all be stuff I'd have in my own playlists, but it needs to have variety. It's even fine if sometimes it's something I actively dislike.
Working in a place that plays the same corporate-approved playlist forever is hellish, though. Having it be your actual job to be there is even worse.
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
>There's no carolers, the smells aren't the same, the shops aren't the same Growing up in Canada, I thought carolers and olde-timey Christmas themes only happened in movies these days. Are these traditions still alive in the UK?
Canadian here and these happen in my neighborhood. YMMY elsewhere, as OP has mentioned.
Canada is a big place, which city are you in?
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#89I experienced this working in retail during the holiday season back when I was in college. The little bell intro to Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You", will forever haunt my dreams. I rarely listen to Christmas music anymore because of that experience. Nowadays, I get irritated when I've burned through a 2 hour playlist twice at work and need to find something else to listen to, but I totally take the a…
When I worked at Radio Shack and they mandated that we play Christmas music all the time after Halloween, I'd switch it to one of SomaFM's more casual Christmas stations (Xmas in Frisko) when the boss wasn't around.
No one ever noticed except for us employees, and it was so, soooo much better than hours of the same five songs on repeat.
Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts
#90I once sat in a Starbucks for a few hours and I noticed that the music shifted with the customer base. So oldies and jazz got played around the time senior citizens would come in and the vibe would change depending on the demographic at that time. I thought it was interesting.. Maybe coincidence.. maybe not.
I think some Starbucks have a little more agency. The one near my apartment in NYC is always playing a mid-00s hiphop/R&B throwbacks playlist. Definitely not the mainstream suburban mom stuff, but, ya never know, maybe they have separate "urban environment" playlists.