Washington’s SEATAC Many airports are engaging local artists and meticulously selecting playlists to help brighten travelers’ emotions, so background music is no longer an afterthought.
This summer, London’s Heathrow Airport constructed a stage to debut up-and-coming British artists. The airport plans to revive the initiative in 2025 because it was so successful.More than 800 concerts, including jazz combinations and country musicians, take place annually on the five stages of Nashville International Airport.Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic plays live merengue music to welcome travelers.
When Tiffany Idiart and her two nieces were recently on stopover at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, they were thrilled to hear musicians.
I enjoy it. Grace Idiart, 9, stated, “There are many people here, and they can all hear it.” They might have had a difficult day if their flight had been delayed or anything. Therefore, the music might have improved their mood.
Additionally, airports are curating their recorded playlists with care. In the tunnel that runs between its terminals, Detroit Metro Airport plays Motown hits. An area radio station has put together a playlist of local tunes for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. For its enormous digital waterfall, Changi Airport in Singapore commissioned a unique piano accompaniment.
The presence of music in airport terminals is not new.The 1978 album “Music for Airports” by Brian Eno contributed to the definition of ambient music. It is simple and intended to soothe.
Technology is making background music less generic and more suited to particular locations or times of day, according to Barry McPhillips, head of international creative at Mood Media, which supplies music for airports and other public areas.
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Based on who is in the airport at any one time, Mood Media, formerly known as Muzak, creates playlists to appeal to families or business passengers. In the duty-free store, it might play more upbeat music, but in the security queue, it might play more subdued music.
In our opinion, it’s a soundscape, McPhillips stated. We plan for each of these situations.
He stated that Mood Music uses science to decide on things like loudness, speed, and even whether to play a song in a major key or a minor one.
What impact do we wish to have on their emotions right now? “McPhillips said.” It’s not as simple as saying, “Here are a bunch of songs.” For the first ten minutes, there are a lot of songs, and then we go on to the following ten.
In order to give tourists a flavor of the place they are passing through, many airports are going low-tech by employing local musicians to serenade them.
Every year, over 100 live performances take place in Chicago’s O Hare and Midway airports. Five years ago, Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport launched a live music program that today features two stages with local performers.
The Seattle-Tacoma airport started its live music program approximately ten years ago when a municipal commissioner heard live music at the airport in Austin, Texas, according to Tami Kuiken, the manager of airport music in Seattle.
The thought was, “Dude, why isn’t there any music in Seattle?” “We’re also a music city,” Kuiken stated.
Initially, the airport produced a playlist that included both well-known music like Pearl Jam and up-and-coming ones. It then made the decision to conduct a 12-week trial of live musicians. Because it was so popular, the airport is now constructing new performance rooms and hosting live musicians every day.
According to Kuiken, people experience extremely high levels of anxiety when they travel. According to the feedback we began receiving, people’s worry and tension levels abruptly decreased after passing through the checkpoint and hearing music.
Additionally, the initiatives help musicians, who receive compensation for their performances and increase their visibility. More than 150 performers applied when Colorado Springs Airport announced a live music program in March. Two two-hour shows are being held there every week.
On November 26, 2024, Roz McCommon performs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Washington.Photo by Manuel Valdes/AP
It takes some getting used to getting up in time for a daytime performance, according to singer and guitarist David James, who performs at Seattle’s airport around once a week. However, he has earned new admirers from throughout the globe.
James added, “I always get such lovely responses from people saying, That was so soothing to be able to just sit and listen to music in between flights.” Therefore, it seems particularly restorative to many.
According to Stacey Nickens, the airport’s vice president of corporate communications and marketing, country music icons Blake Shelton and Keith Urban have visited Nashville’s airport and engaged with local performers. Shelton even shared his guitar with one.
Airports should carefully consider their choices, according to Otto Stuparitz, a musicologist and researcher at the University of Amsterdam who has researched airport music. “In an already chaotic environment, music that is meant to be actively listened to, such as live music or catchy pop songs, can be very distracting,” he said. He has observed that several airports, particularly in Europe, completely cut off piped music.
However, without background music, large areas like airports can feel chilly and unwelcoming, according to McPhillips.
According to him, a well-designed audio strategy is one that people aren’t especially aware of. All they know is that it’s suitable and they’re enjoying themselves.
–The Associated Press/DEE-ANN DURBIN and MANUEL VALDES
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