When did Rock and Roll transition from the anthem of rebels to elevator music?
I’ve been traveling for the last few weeks. Whether on business or vacation, “classic rock” is the background sound in airports, supermarkets and shopping malls. Restaurants and casinos have traded Montovani and 101 Strings for the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.
Light soundtracks, like at the resort pool, usually include early 60s, 80s dance tunes (Disco) and Motown hits, but for the most part the playlists are dominated by rock from the late 60s to the late 70s.
Rock as Elevator Music
Television commercials are loaded for Boomers. Some thematic riffs are understandable. Dodge and “Smoke on the Water,” Cisco and “Baba O’Reilly, ” or Mercedes-Benz and “Green Onions.” In other cases it’s hard to associate luxury brands with their themes. Led Zeppelin for Cadillac? Jefferson Airplane for Tommy Hilfiger?
Sometimes I wonder if they have anyone over 30 (Remember “Wild in the Streets?) at the marketing agency, or even someone who actually listens to the lyrics. News flash to Wrangler; John Fogarty’s “Fortunate Son” (“ooo… that red white and blue”) is not a patriotic theme. And to Acura; “Please allow me to introduce myself” refers to Satan, not a car model.
I know you aren’t supposed to actually listen to background music. It’s a good thing. Walking down the supermarket aisle, I’ve heard “…living on reds, vitamin C and cocaine,” “One pill make you larger…, and “I woke up in a Soho doorway. A policeman knew my name.” I sometimes wonder why moms aren’t hustling their kids out of the store.
Of course, the music appeals to the demographic with the highest disposable income in history, the Baby Boomers. When it stops, we can probably assume that a generation has moved on. Elevator music is an indicator of influence.
I’ve used that exercise ever since. When I was actively brokering businesses, I remained acutely aware of first impressions. A parking lot with weeds in all the cracks or sidewalk seams. A front office with stacks of unfiled invoices on top of the cabinets. A conference room with six month old notes on the whiteboard. An owner’s office that doubled as storage for samples.
If an outside buyer is financing the purchase, seller notes can be considered as part of a down payment, but any bank will require it to hold second priority to their loan. If the Small Business Administration is involved, they will usually demand that the seller assume some of the risk with a secondary loan. In an internal sale, that will be a requirement.
Throughout their lives, baby boomers have had a profound impact on our society. One key reason for their large influence is the sheer size of their generation, which is estimated to be about 76 million people.
Service businesses where the middleman lends expertise (easily duplicated by Internet research) or access to vendors are feeling the crunch already. The warning bell is sounding for mortgage companies, real estate agents, insurance and benefit brokers, employment agencies, printers, publishers, and travel agents.
When my wife sends me to the grocery store, I hear thunder and smell rain as I go thru the produce department, Faint cackle of chickens as I pickup the eggs, Cows mooing when I grab the milk. I was afraid to go down the toilet paper aisle !!
Or perhaps the music is chosen because the decision maker/owner/manager has a personal liking for that music genre, without any regard for the public perception it paints that business with? How do you want your business to be perceived? The music is one element of that. Frankly, I find rock music at an upscale restaurant or shop is often unaligned with their menu or merchandise. Isn’t the music supposed to set the proper mood?
Did you know that “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise” (CCR) is very often misunderstood to say, “There’s a Bathroom on the Right”. Seem appropriate for the Baby Boomers in the airports, supermarkets and shopping malls, don’t you think?