Listening to Music in the Workplace
By crazyredhead
@crazyredhead (954)
United States
May 19, 2009 12:27pm CST
I work at a grocery store in a small town. By small town I mean about 350 people and lots of them older. The satellite radio that was wired up broke back in October or so and we started playing Christmas CD's until everyone got sick of Christmas music in February. The boss brought in his iPod nano that his younger brother had put the play list on and that's all we have been listening to since. There aren't very many songs and it's quite annoying to listen to the same music over and over again day after day. That's not the point of this discussion however. My question is, what kind of music is appropriate in the workplace? Obviously this depends on where you work but when working in customer service and the music is there for employees AND customers to hear, what is appropriate? Considering that 75% of the population of my town are over 50 years old.
One of the songs that is on the play list that we suggested to the boss he delete and he has not is "I Touch Myself" by Blondie. Every time the song comes on I search for any elderly people who may not like the song playing but have been lucky as nobody has come in while it is playing.
3 responses
@LevysLuv (238)
• United States
19 May 09
I worked in a gas staion where we played local stations. The stations we played always depended on who was working. A lot of the younger kids that worked there would play Kiss FM. I don't mind the station but there was definetley songs they played that I felt was unapporpriate for customers to hear. I personally liked to listen to a local rock station which I felt was less ofensive. May be I'm just biased becuase that's the music I perfer. I think country or older music is the best way to go, it will be less ofensive to customers.
1 person likes this
@crazyredhead (954)
• United States
23 May 09
We live in a small town but believe it or not most people around here like rock. I would have expected them to like country. With the older people older music probably is the way to go however.
@derlilaStern (1756)
• United States
19 May 09
I am so thankful that I can listen to any music I want at work! I work in a lab. There isnt often anyone else in the same lab as me. So I turn on my country music and sing and dance along! LOL! 
I think that music without words is most appropriate when employees and customers will be listening. Even if it is a song like 'I touch myself', without the words a person would only know if they had heard the song elsewhere! That way there is still music in the background, but no one can be offended by the lyrics.
I do know what you mean about listening to the same things over and over again. Where I used to work, they had Muzak. It was awful! Imagine listening to the same music you dont like for 8 hours a day, everyday. And it is only 1 CD full of songs! 
I think that music without words is most appropriate when employees and customers will be listening. Even if it is a song like 'I touch myself', without the words a person would only know if they had heard the song elsewhere! That way there is still music in the background, but no one can be offended by the lyrics.
I do know what you mean about listening to the same things over and over again. Where I used to work, they had Muzak. It was awful! Imagine listening to the same music you dont like for 8 hours a day, everyday. And it is only 1 CD full of songs! 1 person likes this
@crazyredhead (954)
• United States
23 May 09
I think the iPod maybe only has 3 CDs worth of music on it. It's so annoying to have to listen to the same stuff over and over again every day. And the good songs are usually too loud and instead of turning it down they skip it. :(
