The other day, I was wandering around in my local Walgreens, trying to find "who knows what!" Then what to my wandering ears should I hear on their elevator music channel? The Animal Trainer & the Toad by Mountain. I don't think I've ever heard that anywhere but on vinyl. I got to thinking about it a bit, I've heard quite a few songs in DR's offices & such that I never thought they'd play on the radio. Different Gary Moore tunes ETC.... Anybody else noticed this lately??
Unfortunately, no. Where I live it's mostly rap, hip hop, country and pop. Not any music I'd like to speak of.
I spent a few months earlier this year trying to figure out what Mountain song I kept hearing at the local Kroger. It was "The Animal Trainer and the Toad". They also play Thin Lizzy, Robin Trower ("Little Bit of Sympathy"), and I think I've even heard Metallica. A couple years back, I heard "Planet Queen" from T. Rex at the store. The most obscure I ever heard was over a decade ago in Chicago, when my local Jewel had "The Water Song" from Hot Tuna playing.
I notice it fairly frequently, but then forget what I heard. A lot of songs that never had any air time when they came out. A lot of great songs never get played........
I heard Run Run Run by JoJo Gunne in King Soopers a couple weeks ago.
I've heard "Stone Blue" by Foghat at the Kroger, too. When did Muzak get hipper than the radio?
My old employer used to play Muzak versions of popular songs, include stuff from The Moody Blues and KISS. It occurred to me that Muzak revisions of songs are probably providing more session work that actual original music recording.
It wasn't musak in a store, but I heard this cover recently on a Pandora channel. Did a bit of a double-take! ;D
http://www.reverbnation.com/ryandavidsontrio/song/10580411-ghost-riders-in-the-sky (http://www.reverbnation.com/ryandavidsontrio/song/10580411-ghost-riders-in-the-sky)
This topic came up before when I transcribed the bass line. Here it is again in case anyone missed it or hasn't seen it.
http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=7636.msg123866#msg123866
Generally speaking, the music in retail establishments is pulled from streaming audio. The particular "channel" at any given time is usually determined by the manager on duty. Some stores have their choices restricted by corporate, but just as if you or I select an internet radio station, almost anything could pop up.
kroger is way hipper than radio. i have heard many good songs there but "walk on the wild side" is the only one i can remember at the moment. our local walgreens seems to be doing likewise.
Quote from: chromium on December 18, 2013, 09:12:09 PM
It wasn't musak in a store, but I heard this cover recently on a Pandora channel. Did a bit of a double-take! ;D
http://www.reverbnation.com/ryandavidsontrio/song/10580411-ghost-riders-in-the-sky (http://www.reverbnation.com/ryandavidsontrio/song/10580411-ghost-riders-in-the-sky)
This is great! I've been dusting off the ole upright and bringing the big girl out for some action under the stage lights. It's been surprising how fun it is playing stuff other than jazz and classical on it. Bill Withers' "Use Me" was one that was particularly enjoyable.
I don't hear anything interesting in stores. Am I shopping at the wrong places?
Funny, just last night I was at the dreaded mall doing some X-mas shopping. At a place called Anthropologie, and all of a sudden I start hearing the Cocteau Twins "Iceblink Luck". What?!?! Cool...
Around 1998, after a gig, the band was eating at Whataburger and I heard "Sail On Sailor" by The Beach Boys. The employees were probably not too impressed with me singing at 3 a.m.
Quote from: Dave W on December 19, 2013, 08:56:15 AM
I don't hear anything interesting in stores. Am I shopping at the wrong places?
Probably more like the wrong time of day.
Slade's Everyday on a goggle TV add, I about passed out :o it didn't compute, the TV is on but I'm hearing Slade, hell it hardly ever happens even on the radio let alone TV. I stood there frozen trying to figure out just what was going on.
Quote from: godofthunder on December 20, 2013, 07:02:05 AM
Slade's Everyday on a goggle TV add, I about passed out :o it didn't compute, the TV is on but I'm hearing Slade, hell it hardly ever happens even on the radio let alone TV. I stood there frozen trying to figure out just what was going on.
TV commercials have been a great source of interesting songs. I think it may have been Nissan that made "21st Century Boy" a revived hit in recent years. The original was a single in the UK, and I don't think it ever made a dent over here.
That was Mitsubishi with 20th Century Boy. I really liked that.
My favorite in recent years was the series of Kia commercials using Red Light Love by Those Darlins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzGYdrdXca8
do they play that stuff at "uncle earl's burlap wonderland".
Quote from: godofthunder on December 20, 2013, 07:02:05 AM
Slade's Everyday on a goggle TV add, I about passed out :o it didn't compute, the TV is on but I'm hearing Slade, hell it hardly ever happens even on the radio let alone TV. I stood there frozen trying to figure out just what was going on.
That's the one with Everyday, right? Kind of cute. Summer Song/Wishing you were here was used by C&A, all family German clothing store chain, a few years back.
And "Merry X-Mas Everybody" is still the most frequently played Christmas song in old Blighty in 2013, both in and outside of the Christmas season. Holder and Lea will make another million from its royalties. Not bad for a song written in a shower cabin after someone had provoked Slade to "write a song that is a real hit like White Christmas".
I think the biggest surprise for me was hearing "Santuary" by The Cult in a Nissan commercial.
Here in Tacoma we listen to several different internet radio stations, I'd say Cygnus X-1 by Rush topped the list. But my boss will often put on this '80s Hair Metal channel - I just love it! The other day while a customer was waiting at the counter Iron Maiden's "The Trooper" was playing, customer says: "You guys are rockin' out here.... I say, yeah, no Christmas music at Seattle Lighting :)
I came across what appeared to be a human turd in a Walmart isle the other day.
Does that count?
Quote from: Barklessdog on December 21, 2013, 03:25:22 PM
I came across what appeared to be a human turd in a Walmart isle the other day.
Does that count?
Did you hear singing?
Mr Hankey?
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/Mr_hankey_the_xmas_poo.jpg)
(http://i40.tinypic.com/1041zwl.jpg)
Quote from: TBird1958 on December 21, 2013, 11:19:03 AM
I think the biggest surprise for me was hearing "Santuary" by The Cult in a Nissan commercial.
Here in Tacoma we listen to several different internet radio stations, I'd say Cygnus X-1 by Rush topped the list. But my boss will often put on this '80s Hair Metal channel - I just love it! The other day while a customer was waiting at the counter Iron Maiden's "The Trooper" was playing, customer says: "You guys are rockin' out here.... I say, yeah, no Christmas music at Seattle Lighting :)
I was in a Kinkos in Austin about midnight maybe eight, nine years ago, pre Fed Ex takeover, and they had a streaming punk channel on! I heard some really old obscure stuff. I asked the kids that worked there and they said they got to choose after the channel after 10:00. The little twerps were surprised that an "old dude" knew what it was they were listening to.