The Wonders of Grocery Store Music

[Miles 2,513]

Well folks, earlier today I posted a status update about how I had 999 posts, and would make be posting my 1000th after I got off work.  So, I wanted to make my 1000th post something special, something unique.  At the time I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to post...

Then I went to work (I work at County Market, a grocery store owned by Niemann Foods [NFI]; I'm a cashier).

At work, I was listening to the background music the store plays.  Surprisingly my store plays a very wide variety of music from many different genres.  Now, I should mention, the store I work in is new.  It was very recently built, one block behind the old store.  The old store was torn down to create a larger parking lot; as of course, the new store is much larger.  Anyway, the old store used to play slow jazz music the majority of the time.  Luckily, the new store upped the ante, and is using a wider variety of music.

We play some pop music, some rock, some country, and some house music.  It's nice to have such a wide variety.  

---

Now to the meat of my post.

I was very intrigued by a certain song that was playing tonight when I was closing the store.  It's a house song.  I wrote down some lyrics to look it up when I got home...  On the drive home I got to thinking - this could possibly be a perfect subject for my 1000th post.

---

I found the song with a simple Google search.  My suspicions were correct.  I had guessed that it would be from either the late 90s or early 00s - and it is - it's from 2000.

The song is called "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)" by Modjo - a French House band.

As if the song itself wasn't interesting enough, the music video is anything but ordinary.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssWpeIxfnIg

---

My questions for you as to guide the thread:

1.  What music have you heard when you are shopping in grocery stores that struck you as unique?

2.  What music have you heard in other stores, possibly in malls, or even large/big name stores like Walmart that struck you as unique?

3.  What do you think of the above song I have by Modjo?

---

Bonus:

While searching on YouTube for the song, I also came across a lot of remixes of this song.  One of them I absolutely just had to use as my bonus here to show you.  What do you think of this remix?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW1MJCO7K7I

---

Clocking in with my 1000th post, I am absolutely grateful to be a part of this wonderful online community.  I've been here for a little more than a year now, and the times I've had have been wonderful.  I am definitely here to stay.  I want to be a part of this as long as I can.  I love this site, and I love everyone here.  



My heart is smiling.

~ Miles

[碇 シンジン 27,439]

Here they don't play music in stores only advertisements

[mars 4,863]

I love grocery store music! Usually it tends to either be music from the 00's or top 40 hits, both which I adore.

It's hilarious during Christmas season because all stores play Christmas music and the people working look so tired from listening to the same music the entire day.

[Pastel 7,630]

Heard this one several times in a bookstore, it took me months to find it, but I was so happy when I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ_uPu5iDVE

 

And that song by Modjo is pretty good.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Blobulle

[Blue Moon 6,345]

I first listened to Coldplay by hearing their song "Viva la Vida" on a grocery store radio back when that song was first released. I was quite young back then, so I didn't know the name or artist, but I remember really liking the song. Later, in sixth grade, I heard it again on someone's iTunes and I finally found out who sung that song.

 

But that's the only song I can think of that ever struck out to me in particular that I heard in a grocery store.

[Envy 6,372]

I work in a grocery store, and the music they've played has generally been pretty abysmal.

 

Combine that with the fact that I work nights, and at times they've let my coworkers choose what music went up there... At that point it was a battle between horrible 80s pop/rock or country. It made me want to quit, because they managed to choose two genres that I hate to death.

 

Thankfully, the company banned my coworkers from doing that. Sadly, the playlist that the company officiated was just a mix of the same kind of awful 80s pop/rock and country... Combined with terribly bland modern pop and rock. Seems like they're out to get me! Especially since the decision to ban us playing CDs actually only came shortly after I played one of mine once. This one. Seems like people don't like good music!

Edited August 11, 2015 by Envy

[Shanks 10,817]

I work at a grocery store as a dairy clerk and backup checker and just hear the same boring elevator music every day and I hear literally the exact same songs in nearly every business that plays music. It is like all the stores had a meeting and said "no that is too exciting, we want our customers to be put to sleep lets play this and this instead." Every now and then though they will play something good, but not nearly as often as I would like. Of course there is Christmas music around that time of year and the selection has improved over the years which is good as hearing the same songs over again can get rather tiresome especially with the inevitable increase in hours I get around that time of year. This is one of the few good songs I can remember my store playing actually, it is one of my favorite love songs.

 

[Mr Unknown 132]

I worked at a grocery store last year, and the music was TERRIBLE. It was usually the most in-offensive teen pop/country that you'll ever hear, and I was stuck with it for HOURS! The only song that they ever played that I enjoyed was "Out of Touch", partly due to how BAD everything else was.  

It got a little better once they started playing Christmas tunes, but since they started doing it November 1st, it became grating by December!

Edited August 13, 2015 by Mr Unknown

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

Mine plays a bunch of smooth jazz and islnstrumental music like Steve Alperts Rise.

Edited August 13, 2015 by GuyNamedEarl

[Empty Room 512]

I remember hearing that song when I was a kid.

 

Going back to all the times when I've been in any shop, I don't think I've heard anything that I've wanted to hear later. It's mostly just the standard pop drivel they play on the regular top 40 radio stations.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Blackened

[Biggybrony 244]

Not much to say on the subject but back in 2009 the song 'Killing In The Name' by Rage Against The Machine was made Xmas number 1 in the charts due to a campaign to prevent the X Factor winner from being No1 yet again. Since it was in the charts it received a lot of airplay in public places where the pop charts are forced down your throat. However one employee in charge of the music at an ASDA supermarket accidentally played the uncensored version of the song through the stare's PA system. The complaints and backlash that followed was not pretty.

 

 

 

[Empty Room 512]

Not much to say on the subject but back in 2009 the song 'Killing In The Name' by Rage Against The Machine was made Xmas number 1 in the charts due to a campaign to prevent the X Factor winner from being No1 yet again. Since it was in the charts it received a lot of airplay in public places where the pop charts are forced down your throat. However one employee in charge of the music at an ASDA supermarket accidentally played the uncensored version of the song through the stare's PA system. The complaints and backlash that followed was not pretty.

 

 

 

 

I would love to hear ASDA play that song. It'd be a nice change from what they regularly play.

[Denim&Venöm 20,366]

Spoiler: contains massive rant against grocery store music.  

 

 

Ugh. Grocery store music. I hate grocery store music. I've been working as a utility clerk at my nearest store for about two years. And every mother freaking time, it's the. Exact. Same. Songs. The same old pop, soft rock, smooth hip hop, oldies hits, romantic ballads & folksy show tunes, for two goddamn years! 
 
The only time this trend is broken? 

 
I don't need to be lulled to sleep by a tune about a guy wanting his girl back, while I'm standing in one spot saying "paper or plastic" and "Thank you. Have a nice day." on repeat. If I'm going to do a dull job, then play something that keeps me engaged! It doesn't have to be heavy metal. It could be jazz, blues, classical, techno, even freakin country! Just mix it up once in a while and play something engaging! Or better yet: Play nothing at all!

 
 
1.  "What music have you heard when you are shopping in grocery stores that struck you as unique?"

-​Not much. Matchbox twenty. Don Henley. Katy Perry. Stevie Wonder. 

2.  "What music have you heard in other stores, possibly in malls, or even large/big name stores like Walmart that struck you as unique?" 

-Nothing really. It's pretty much the same wherever I go. Nothing stands out to me. 

 

3.  "What do you think of the above song I have by Modjo?" 

-More upbeat than most of the stuff I've been listening to. Still not my thing. Sounds too much like the rest of the nondescript romance that's crackling through my stores intercom. 

 

For the most part, when I go shopping I tend to bring my own music. If not, then I'm too focused on looking for what I need to pay attention. It's nice to hear that your store has variety. Wish that were the case with mine. 

Edited August 13, 2015 by Denim&Venom

[Attack of the Pwns 894]

I heard this song a year ago in Home Depot, back before I had embraced any music made post-1985, and was immediately taken back to memories of playing Sonic's Adventures on Sega Genesis, riding with my uncle in his 1990 Camaro RS, and watching reruns of Darkwing Duck and Rugrats. This was odd, as no one in my family was ever a Sugar Ray fan, so I'm not sure where I heard it at back in the day.

 

 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=zUtnwcv-quE

 

Most stores around me play things that make smooth jazz look like heavy metal. For example, the Hobby Lobby I work in plays instrumental versions of religious music. I swear, if I hear "How Great Thou Art" played on a poorly computer-generated flute one more time, I might just be tempted to deck somebody.

 

Also, for you guys that were posting the vintage soul music in this thread, ever heard this one? It's one of my favorites, but it doesn't get much airplay anywhere anymore.

 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=w1Lf_1y7rYE