When we think of manipulation, it’s usually a direct action: something a person is actively doing to influence and persuade someone else. Rarely do we think of it as some passive background noise that no one really pays attention to. But of course, that’s the most efficient kind of manipulation. The persuasion you don’t see, don’t think about, and that can get in deep.

If you ask someone whether music can manipulate them, they may scoff, believing such a notion is ridiculous. But if you ask that same person if music can affect their mood, they’ll likely say that it does. The irony is that affecting mood is manipulation, and that’s exactly why retail stores play music during their open hours.

You probably don’t pay much attention to music that plays in stores, unless it is a song you recognize. That’s because many store music systems are designed that way; to provide ambient background music that seeks to orchestrate your mood without demanding too much of your attention. These tracks are selected on purpose to influence your buying habits––preferably in the direction of buying more of whatever that store is selling.

Does this smack of a marketing scam? A dirty trick to squeeze more money out of us?

According to this BBC article, Marks and Spencer is getting rid of in-store music entirely after considerable feedback from their employees and customers. They weren’t explicitly clear on why they made this decision. But it could be because some music choices can influence customers to actually buy less.

Some people may believe this whole notion of musical manipulation is hogwash. But I believe it without a doubt. I love music. In fact, any time I’m alone, or doing some sort of work that doesn’t require communicating with someone else, I’ve got a pair of headphones on, feeding my imagination with all sorts of aural images. This definitely affects how I feel.

Classical music brings a sense of refinement and class. While modern, upbeat music makes me feel impulsive and bold. At home these feelings might not amount to much, but when you’re out shopping, your emotions can have a serious effect on what you buy.

This particular brand of market music used for influence is called “Muzak,” a term coined by General George Squires in 1920. As for how it works, it’s mostly a social tool, for making your targeted groups feel a certain way, gently steering them towards desired behaviors.

If you’re feeling “refined and classy,” you’re more likely to take an interest in higher-end items. Whereas feeling “impulsive and bold” could lead you to purchase products you didn’t really need, and probably didn’t come in for.

On the other hand, some music, and by extension some emotions, might actually make you buy less. Does it matter if it’s underhanded manipulation or not? In the end it’s just another form of advertising.

Personally, I’m not too terribly bothered by the notion. Everything about a store is designed to subtly push you to buy more, or buy go for more expensive products. Attention and care is put into product placement, store layout, advertisements––so why not the sonic environment as well?

I don’t believe retail companies are wrong for employing music as a selling technique. Especially since the whole idea of “Muzak“ is not an exact science. There’s no formula for what music will or won’t have an effect on a customer’s buying habits. It’s all guesstimates about what might work.

And while some of us might object to the notion of persuasion against our will, I for one, would miss that ambient background music that makes every shopping trip a little bit more exciting.