Pausing a moment, try to remember the last lobby you visited. Was the office of a doctor? Like a hotel? Perhaps a fashionable co-working location with seats somewhat too sophisticated to be comfortable? Even if you didn’t notice when it fit the venue, bet you remember if the music felt odd. That, my buddy, is subdued lobby background music in the office. It makes no difference where you are; those songs are more important than most people would have you know.
Of course, décor adds weight; nevertheless, with the correct chords, the atmosphere of a room may swing in a second. Imagine strolling into a luxurious hotel, rain tapping on the windows, and your worry being momentarily stopped by this little, tinkling music. Try switching it with blasting rock, and all of a sudden you find the closest exit missing. If pop song pan flute versions last too long, even a spa might begin to seem like an airport terminal. Whoever claimed music understood what they were talking about—the universal language.
But arranging lobby music involves more than just a fast shuffle and push play. Not too loud, never dead silence, voices kept at a minimum, and a mix between the known and the unexpected create an undetectable dance. Push too far in any direction and you will have visitors staring at the speakers with wrinkled eyebrows. One of my friends once laughed at a dentist lobby he was waiting in, saying the “Jaws” theme was blaring. To say safely, nerves did not get better.
Regarding foot traffic, consider Are you handling business suits clutching coffee, dusty tourists dragging suitcases, or small children headed for the play area? The soundtrack has to welcome everyone. Change jazz for indie or mellow, and the mood will change. Change energetic for subdued. Mornings go great with something lively but subdued; the heavier stuff should wait for later in the day when folks are more awake—or, to be honest, less grouchy.
Every place has a signature sound right out there. While in metropolitan lobbies smooth electronic can sneak under unnoticed but yet set an undercurrent of energy; in coastal communities you might pick up sleepy beach melodies. Some locations provide local flavor by featuring regional artists, therefore allowing visitors a small taste of what’s outside without subjecting them to it. Although there are no set policies, repetition will force guests and workers up the wall. That one music running on repeat? You will live with it always.
Interestingly, though. The finest playlists just help people feel calm; they are not particularly distinctive. You have found gold if you witness someone tapping their toes as they wait or overheare a stranger humming along. Background music functions like that distant relative who knows just the perfect thing to say at family get-togethers: never steal the show, but always make everyone a little more comfortable.
Creating the playlist comes from gut, feedback, and a little “does this make me want to sit here longer?” While everyone else is hunting approval, you are chasing your own tail; nevertheless, getting most people to unwind is a realistic objective. And when guests believe the environment is looking out for them—even in terms of well chosen music—they may leave somewhat happier than they arrived. In every lobby, that is a victory.