Waiting room music. Does anyone have a good vendor or music suggestion?

I would actually set up a radio (tasteful speakers) and tune in to your local NPR station. It’s free and generally doesn’t have music that people would find offensive.

I had thought about good ol’ NPR but was worried that all the talky and bad news might detract from the peacefulness I’m going for….but this may be my short-term solution!

There is always Muzak, despite the bad rap they have: http://music.muzak.com/

XM For business is another solution, you can get ad-free music that way too. http://www.xm4biz.com/

We have three local public radio stations (we’re spoiled). One has classical, one talk/news and the other modern adult indie music.

Another option is to find a channel on AccuRadio online and simply hook up speakers to a simple netbook. You can choose artists/songs you don’t want to hear and there are over fifty channels from blues, classical and modern contemporary.

I like when there is good music in a waiting room or store. I find living here in Memphis I generally hear music I enjoy in lots of places, supermarket, stores, etc. Lot’s of Elvis of course :). I think we had a satelite system when I worked in a department stores, and you could change the stations. In another place I worked we had CD’s back in the day, and we could bring in our own music if we wanted to, I would guess you could get an ipod type system and download songs and have a lot of control over what plays.

I think muzak could also be a good option as @grumpyfish suggested and the XM for business I had never heard of, that looks good too.

I say bring back the Jukebox!

@stratman37 Some businesses have them.

I KNEW it was a good idea!

What about creating a station on Pandora radio? You would be able to control the type of music that way. I created an all piano station and another one for folk music. But you could pick any genre you want and even rotate between different ones during the day.

If you don’t want to tie up your own computer, You could pick up a spare used laptop for around $100. The specs wouldn’t be that important since Pandora plays through the browser.

Just remember that the “music police” may come a knocking. The RIAA is still suing people, your best bet maybe XM or Sirius for business. They (XM- Sirius) have paid for commercial usage.

What @Tropical_Willie said—you could use a pandora stream, but you’ve created a situation where you technically have a public performance.

XM’s website explains it in a little detail:
“Why is there a difference in cost between a commercial and consumer subscription?
A consumer account is established when customers listen to XM programming for personal use in their home or vehicle. In commercial or business settings, such as doctor’s offices, dentist’s offices, restaurant/bars, retail stores, hair salons, malls, etc. many customers and/or employees are listening to XM programming as background music. Using background music to entertain your customers, guests, and employees in a commercial setting is considered a public performance of the music. Such ‘performances’ in business settings require a commercial license be obtained to pay royalty obligations to the artists and the record labels that represent them.”

A couple of technical notes:

Are there already speakers in the ceiling or walls for intercom / PA system? If so you could patch into it using an inexpensive audio mixer if necessary.

Audio levels should be loud enough to mask private conversation but not so loud as to discourage conversation or reading. If making your own compilation, consider using dynamic compression (in hardware or software) to make loud parts softer & soft parts louder.

look up the songs that adult swim plays on their bumpers. very good elevator music and just music to chill out to.

Thanks everyone. All great suggestions!!!!

@Willie &Grumpy

I didn’t think about the music industry sharks and their propensity to sue, so you are correct.

But, I’m curious about something. Not that I’m planning on doing this, but how could they tell what the source would be?

How could they know by listening whether it’s XM, Pandora, or someones personal collection on their own iPod?

So, since it’s being played as background, short of asking you about it, how would they know. Do they normally go around to each and every single business and quiz the owner about the source of the background music.

And, even if they ask, is there any existing requirement to divulge this info to them voluntarily. Or would they need a court order ?

I’m just curious as I assume that hefty rights fees have already been paid by Pandora?

@Buttonstc Yes, they sue and they may come in the waiting room. Pandora does not pay for commercial usage, their web site sez…

” Q: Can I play Pandora in my business or get a commercial license to play Pandora?

If you are playing Pandora for yourself while you work, that’s great—it’s considered personal use even though you are at work. In fact, a large number of our listeners do this.

On the other hand, if you are playing Pandora over loudspeakers at your business for your clients or customers, this is considered commercial use and is not permitted by our music licenses or terms of use. Nor can we offer commercial licenses for Pandora for any purpose.

For more information, please see:
http://www.pandora.com/legal/ ”

Yes, the music police can come and find you. The charge maybe the cost of a new Lexus.

I’m obviously no longer advocating anyone should do this, as I acknowledged in my previous post.

I’m just curious how they ( the music industry police) would be able to tell where the music is coming from.

Even if they (or their spies) are sitting in whichever waiting room is in question, short of asking the owner of the business what the source is, how would they know ?

And is any business owner required to answer the question, absent a subpoena?

Again, I’m not advocating anyone do this, I’m just curious how pervasive and effective is “Big Brother is watching you” as a practical concept.

In the book, there were intrusive two-way TV screens everywhere enabling constant monitoring no matter where one is.

We aren’t there yet, thank God, but I’m just curious how Big Brother knows the source of music for every waiting room in the whole country when it isn’t necessarily obvious just from listening to it.

It’s simple they come into the waiting room and music is playing ===> public performance.

Guilty until proven innocent. You than have to show that you are using a commercially approved source for the music.