Elevator music is music that is commonly played in commercial elevators in offices, hotels, and other corporate structures, as the name implies. The slow cadence and instrumental tones are usually distinguishing features. The songs are usually well-known or recognizable tunes, but without the words and with only one or two instruments joining together to form the melody. This type of music is composed and delivered by a number of companies. Music is often requested by elevator operators for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is as a calming technique. Most music sold for elevators, on the other hand, can be used in other places; it’s frequently piped in as background music for stores, hotels, and other commercial properties. It’s often credited with creating a mood without the costs and royalties associated with other streaming music services, as well as avoiding the commercial interruptions that come with traditional radio. However, it is not without its detractors. Many people find the concept mildly irritating, and the artists who create it are frequently regarded as musical “sell outs.”
The Fundamental Concept
The main goal of elevator music is to create a calm, relaxing environment for passengers traveling between floors. It is most common in high-rise buildings, where passengers have longer rides, or in stores or shopping centers with large crowds. In some ways, the concept is similar to the music played while customers are on hold in commercial phone systems.
Easy listening and instrumental music are strongly associated with the style. Soft-sounding instruments and rhythms are common, and keyboards, subtle orchestras, and synthesizer music are frequently featured.
History and the Beginnings
The technology’s foundations are usually attributed to U.S. Army officer George Owen Squier, who, while serving in the military in the early 1900s, apparently conceived of a wired music delivery service outside of standard radio broadcasts. He is said to have worked on the idea of selling music over wires rather than wirelessly from 1911 onwards. Because their wireless radio was free, radio listeners did not take up the idea.
According to legend, he shifted gears and began offering the service to businesses for their lobbies and elevators. Radio at the time required a lot of equipment, so it couldn’t be used in small spaces like elevators. He proposed that relaxing music would help people work more effectively and efficiently. Elevator music was born as a result of the sales strategy.
Squier’s model became the foundation for Muzak®, a company that specializes in watered-down versions of popular tunes and musical hits for use as commercial background music. The company has become so well-known in recent years that the term “muzak” is now commonly used, lower-cased, to refer to elevator-style music heard anywhere. The corporate owners of the Muzak brand, Mood Media, officially retired the brand name in 2013, though it is still widely used in popular culture.
How It Is Created
Modern elevator music is frequently created in one of two ways. The most straightforward method is to remove the vocals from a suitable track and use only the music. The second option is to hire or purchase a musician to record an original song or a cover of an existing composition.
Major Purchasing Alternatives
In either case, licensing is usually required before the music can be played. Most countries’ copyright laws make it illegal to broadcast any music without first obtaining an express license from the owner, which is usually the composer or a record label. Licenses can be very expensive depending on the song, which is one of the reasons why services like Muzak® are so popular. The songs on these compilations are usually covers performed by unknown artists who are unable to command the same prices as those with more well-known names. Bundles of songs are also commonly sold, which can lower overall costs.
Almost all elevator music is bought or streamed directly from companies that specialize in it. It’s not uncommon to come across blends and channels that are intended to evoke specific emotions or correspond to events such as the seasons or upcoming holidays. Companies can also buy collections that are primarily classical or that are mostly renditions of top-40 hits, for example.