As Modernity Has Evolved, So Has Muzak

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Novelty is at the heart of the success of a corporation. As with modernism, crisis and innovation are major tools of growth and change. But novelty has become a condition in itself, and the constant flow of changes across society has made us less responsive to any particular change. Research shows that over time, our sensorium has grown more able to tolerate the shock of the new. Once shocking, both skyscrapers and sprawl have become everyday. This condition is also evidenced by changes in our relationship to music. While Elvis was radical in the 50’s, he is background today. The speed by which we assimilate newness in musical culture has increased greatly over the last twenty years. Played over and over, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Like A Virgin” have become tunes we hum along with absent-mindedly. These popular hits work the same way that Muzak’s earlier instrumentals did, acting as a stimulating but blank texture within the empty spaces of work and consumption.

The sensorial overload of contemporary culture means that even original songs are no longer distracting. Most of Muzak’s channels broadcast originals, not reorchestrated versions. The result is that Muzak’s audio programming has become even more invisible: if the music is audible, its source is no longer discernable.

The culture industries have made it possible for even the most wild and subversive content to be consumed by everyone. With repeated air play, song lyrics lose their meaning, turning all music into a background of moods without emotional depth. Today, in a radically segmented demographic market, Muzak’s customers can choose from among a variety of programs that include all forms of music, picking the channels and moods most appropriate to their audience’s needs and can request custom selections designed to enhance their unique brand personality.

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