Cool tunes, or too soon?
It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas as more stores start playing holiday-themed music.
And, generally, that’s a good thing. A recent survey by the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) revealed that 82% of Canadian shoppers preferred hearing holiday music.
29% said they’ve stayed in a store longer because of the music being played. And nearly half – 48% - say hearing holiday music, either in a store or on the radio, serves to remind them it’s time to pick up gifts.
"It certainly puts me in the Christmas spirit for sure," says Christina Vinette at the Rideau Shopping Centre.
But it’s not all “Happy Holidays” in the stores.
Over one third - 36% - of respondents agreed with the statement “I have left a store sooner because of the music being played. "You obviously get the odd person who is pretty sick of hearing Christma music," says Emma Grant of Lush Cosmetics, in Ottawa's Byward Market.
What was it about the music that brought out their inner-Scrooge?
It could have been that the playlist featured too much Bieber and not enough Bing. Only 5% said they prefer modern holiday songs. The majority favoured traditional or a mix of modern and traditional music. "It had to be Frank Sinatra over Ariana Grande, just hands down," says Maddy FLetcher of their song choices at John Fluevog in the Byward Market.
Or it simply could have been too soon.
58% said holiday music could improve their shopping experience if it was only played in December.
