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Running a successful retail store is all about attention to detail. You know that each aspect of your space, from product packaging to display setups to the sound system, contributes to the overall experience of the customer. These details establish a connection between your brand and customers, encouraging them to spend more time in your space and pushing them toward that final purchase.

Music is central to that retail experience. This is because the first thing your customers experience when walking into your space isn’t the product or service; it’s the atmosphere you’re trying to establish: the sights, smells, and sounds. And the music you play has a major impact on how customers think, feel, and behave.

Our Brilliant Sound Survey, which gathered information from over 12,000 listeners across 12 countries, found that 

music impacts people in the following ways

74% see reduced levels of stress when they listen to music.

52% feel happier when listening to a favorite song.

82% believe great-sounding music makes parties more fun.

If people are able to derive these benefits from listening to music on their own time, why not give them a similar experience when they shop and — in the process — anchor those positive experiences to your brand?

A retail store sound system helps you do just that.

A photo of two people in a clothing store, holding a lively discussion while shopping

A photo of a technician on a ladder installing a speaker at a retail store

First things first: what do you need for a retail store music system?

The first thing that comes to mind in any discussion centered on playing music is the speaker system. But a high-quality business sound system actually has three main components: speakers, commercially-licensed music, and an app for central control.

Let’s take a look at each of these pieces.

The quality of your retail sound experience is determined completely by the speakers that the music is played on and how you set them up throughout your space. That means there’s a lot to consider during the selection process.

Because retail spaces tend to be much bigger than the typical residential living room, you will likely need a larger speaker. 

 can distribute high-quality sound throughout a large area, providing even the biggest retail stores with clear stereo sound.

Besides audio quality, you also need to consider the visual impact that large speakers may have on the aesthetics of your space. Choosing in-wall or in-ceiling speakers will allow your sound experience to blend seamlessly into the room.

Choosing the type of music you’ll play in your retail space is a pivotal aspect of the overall shopping experience for customers, which makes sense — you are playing it for them, after all.

The genres, artists, and songs that you choose can set and elevate the ambiance of your shop — provided you put in the work to find the right music, of course. In addition to strengthening your brand, the right use of music in retail spaces has been shown to 

But before you find the right playlist or catalog, it’s important that you understand the difference between playing music in your home and playing it in your store. Generally, playing music in your business requires a license.

 that offers a catalog of pre-licensed music. This way, you can play music stress-free, focus on running your business, and ensure that your favorite artists are fairly compensated for their music.

A system that lets you remotely manage and control everything, from the music you play to the volume and bass level, is the secret ingredient to the sound system for your retail business. Crafting the perfect retail store music experience is about achieving harmony between your music and the speakers it’s played over.

Many business owners are so focused on one or the other that they forget to fine-tune the whole experience — a central app provides an easy solution. Plus, it frees up your staff’s time to focus on the most crucial aspects of your retail operation – product presentation, assisting customers, and generating sales.

A photo of four Sonos Pro Era 100 speakers

A photo of a person relaxing on a sofa and interacting with a mobile device, with logos for many sound system apps overlaid on the photo

How to set up a sound system for your retail business

Now you know there’s more to setting up a sound system for your business than placing a few speakers and pressing play on your favorite streaming app. The next question is finding the right speakers, music catalog, and control system for your business.

From identifying your brand sound and mapping your store layout to buying the necessary hardware and commercially licensed music, several steps are involved. Now let’s look at exactly what you need to do.

As you know, music serves as an effective medium for building a positive emotional connection between your customers and your brand. Understanding your audience is crucial to selecting the tunes that drive those connections. By understanding the demographics, habits, and preferences of your top customers, you can identify the genres that will suit them best.

Identify your brand sound

A younger audience might prefer buying shoes and apparel from a store that plays trending genres and exhibits an understanding of the current culture. On the other hand, the people who frequent an independent bookstore may appreciate quieter, alternative songs as they browse for their next read.

In both cases, the type of retail store music elevates the shopping experience and helps establish an emotional connection between brand and customer.

The floor plan of your store will largely dictate the layout of your business’s sound system. You’ll also need to factor the acoustics of your space into speaker placement, so customers can enjoy a consistent music experience whether they are inside or outside your business.

Map your sound system layout

During this planning process, you should determine whether you need standalone speakers or architectural speakers that won’t visibly distract from your set-up. Depending on the layout, you may prefer to use 

Another thing to consider is the electrical infrastructure of your building —  which can impact speaker placement, quality, and longevity. You can take the easy route by installing high-quality plug-in speakers and avoiding the complex wiring of architectural hardware.

Engaging brand sounds are built on the back of high-quality audio, so choosing the right speakers is key to your retail experience. Depending on the size and nature of your business, factors like the number of speakers, their placement, and your space’s electrical layout will impact the buying decision.

Get the right hardware for your space

When it comes time for the actual installation of your business’s sound system, there are some additional things to consider. For example, some retail sound system services can even 

 in your area, so you don’t need to spend additional time sourcing the right pros.

With all the hardware in place, it’s time to find the perfect music for your retail business. You’ve done the research and know the genre, tempo, and volume that resonates with your customers  — now it’s time to find the right music streaming service for your business.

Find your music streaming solution

As previously mentioned, creating a brand sound in your store requires commercially licensed music. Commercial streaming services like Sonos Backgrounds provide a catalog of pre-licensed music, with curated stations to match any retail environment. All you need to do is hit play.

A photo of a person in a retail store inspecting clothing items, a 3D rendering of a retail store layout, and a screenshot of the Sonos Pro Dashboard software

Three tips for providing the ultimate sound experience with your business sound system

Even if you follow each of the preceding steps to a tee, issues can still arise with your retail business sound system. Here are a few tips you can use to make sure you minimize hiccups and provide a consistent, quality sound experience.

 offer more flexibility because they don’t need to be hardwired or connected directly to an ethernet cable or modem. WiFi connectivity gives you the freedom to move the pieces of your retail sound system until you achieve the desired effect. No more restricting placement based on proximity to your internet connection — if there’s a power source nearby, you can make it work.

Cut the hassle with WiFi speakers

Plus, if you plan on growing your business in the future, you can quickly and easily add more speakers to meet your changing needs while creating a consistent, cross-location sound experience.

As your business grows, your sound system should, too. Whether you’re physically expanding a single location or opening multiple new spaces, you want a sound system that can accommodate new speakers. Not only are WiFi speakers hassle-free, but you can easily add them to your system to meet the changing needs of your business.

Prioritize the scalability of your sound system

Running a retail store means you and your staff are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities. A sound system that allows you to control all music, volume, and other settings from any mobile device will save you valuable time and ensure consistent sound experiences at all times.

Find a solution that gives you control — from anywhere

A photo from inside a stylish and modern clothing retail store of a clean downtown city street outside

Amplify your retail music experience with Sonos Pro

Setting up a sound system for your business can seem like a complex task, but Sonos Pro makes it simple. After 

, Sonos now has a service that gives businesses the three essential pieces of any business sound system — the hardware, the music, and the app to control them both.

As a one-stop solution for a tailored, impactful, and hassle-free retail sound experience, here’s what Sonos Pro delivers:

Remote monitoring and management: Ensure consistency in your sound experiences by monitoring and adjusting volume, music, and other sound settings from anywhere with the Sonos Pro dashboard.

Music and control that work for you: Select from a catalog of 

 to find the music that fits your brand identity, creates the desired atmosphere, and resonates with your customers.

Premium product support: Access a success manager or team of Sonos product specialists to minimize downtime and provide an uninterrupted shopping experience for your customers.

Unrivaled sound experience: Amplify your business’s potential with best-in-class sound quality from Sonos speakers and offer customers an unforgettable shopping experience that keeps them coming back.

Remember, music is not just sound; it’s an integral part of your brand’s retail experience. 

A photo of a child in a clothing store, as viewed from over the shoulder of a member of staff as she interacts with an app on a tablet device

How To Set Up a Music System in Your Retail Store

It’s a Friday night and the nine-to-five crowd is just getting out of work. Many of them are looking to go out for a meal with their friends or family to catch up, vent, kick off the weekend, or simply relax and wind down. All that’s left is to pick the right spot. But the question is: what’s the right restaurant for the occasion? The food, pricing, and service quality all factor into that decision, but there’s another key part of the equation — the restaurant’s atmosphere.

There might be dozens of Italian restaurants in the area, but only one of them has the authentic decor and music that brings back memories of that post-college backpacking trip with friends. Or maybe someone wants to celebrate an anniversary at the gastropub where they met their significant other. Regardless of the occasion, the most memorable dining experiences are often tied closely to the ambiance within the restaurant.

 important factor for determining where to eat — more so than recommendations from family and friends, positive online reviews, or even the speed of service. Clearly, curating a great restaurant experience is essential to long-term success.

In this post, we’ll take a look at what goes into creating the ideal atmosphere and how the  music you play is central to this process.

How to create the perfect atmosphere in a restaurant

Provide a visual experience with decor, lighting, and furniture

Establish your restaurant brand with a theme

Elevate the ambiance with background music

How the right background music amplifies your atmosphere

The presence of music makes food taste better

Genre increases both spending and perceived authenticity

Volume determines the quality of the experience

Create the perfect restaurant atmosphere with Sonos Pro

A photo of a member of staff working in a restaurant, inspecting something on a tablet device

Unforgettable dining experiences begin with your restaurant atmosphere

The late chef Anthony Bourdain once said, “I think food, culture, people, and landscape are all absolutely inseparable.” What he outlines here is that the dining experience is about much more than just the food itself — it’s about the thoughts, memories, feelings, and sensations it elicits.

The atmosphere in your restaurant is created by combining tangible and intangible elements to influence the dining experience of each customer. Tangible components like the food, decor, lighting, and music interact with intangible elements like culture, theme, and the overall “vibe” of the restaurant.

For instance, a fine-dining French restaurant may create a luxurious ambiance using dim lighting, elegant decor, and the soothing melodies of classical music. A trendy brunch spot, on the other hand, might embrace natural light, colorful decor, and vibrant sounds to inspire a lively crowd.

As a restaurateur, you already have the food and service figured out — here’s how you can make sure your visuals, theme, and music work together with the rest to improve your restaurant experience.

There’s an art to creating the perfect ambience in your restaurant. From the lighting and decor to the restaurant name and theme, all of these components work together to set the stage for a particular experience.

In addition to the food itself, the decor should align with a central theme to represent the restaurant’s identity, its personality. From there, the background music you play helps bring the experience to life.

The restaurant experience starts well before the food is served. The process kicks off as your customers walk through the door, hit by the aroma of your food and the lights, furniture, and decor of your space. Outside of the aesthetic appeal, visual elements are important because they help tie the experience to specific emotions and themes.

This includes art, cutlery, glass and tableware, lighting, and anything else they see that will impact the customers’ perception of the restaurant.

A restaurant’s theme is the underlying concept or “vibe” that the establishment conveys to its customers.  While the theme is distinct from the restaurant’s cuisine, menu, or service style, it plays into these and other tangible elements to accentuate the overall atmosphere.

For example, a fusion restaurant might recreate the energy and cultural authenticity of the Thai floating markets by using boat-shaped decor, brightly colored umbrellas, hanging lanterns, and blue lighting to create the effect of being on a river in Bangkok.

Music has the power to tap into the emotional realm, subtly influencing the mood and behavior of your patrons. Carefully selected background music not only complements your restaurant’s aesthetic but also works in harmony with your menu and theme, creating a cohesive sensory experience.

Music plays a vital role in shaping the theme and brand of your restaurant. But even more importantly, it shapes the customer’s perception of the dining experience in a variety of ways.

A photo of a bartender at work in a restaurant, looking at something on a mobile device

How the right background music amplifies the restaurant atmosphere

Music is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, parts of a restaurant’s ambiance. It accentuates the sensory experiences from the food and influences 

. Studies have even indicated that the right background music can affect tipping behavior in certain demographics.

Layering sensory experiences on top of one another can have an additive effect on our perception of experiences. Sound and taste are one of those powerful combinations. 

 finds that people’s rating of deserts increases across a variety of flavors in the presence of their preferred music versus its absence.

Positive music decreases the impact of long wait times

Having a long wait list during peak hours is a great problem for any restaurant owner to have, but it’s also the cause of poor dining experiences. Standing around in a waiting area is a frustrating experience, but you can 

 by playing positive music to diffuse the situation and create a relaxing atmosphere for your customers.

Tempo determines the pace and size of a meal

Restaurants can use the tempo of background music to set the pace of a meal. Studies show that high-tempo music increases the overall 

duration of the meal and the amount of food and drink they order

.  So, whether you want to lengthen meals for more upselling opportunities or drive turnover to generate more business, the music’s tempo can significantly influence the dining speed of your patrons.

It’s not just the mere presence of music that impacts your customers; the genre has a specific influence on both how much they spend and how authentic they believe your restaurant is. For restaurants offering cuisine from a specific region or culture, playing music from that area enhances patrons’ perception of the food’s authenticity.

Naturally, the volume of background music greatly impacts diners and their perception of your restaurant. You need to identify a volume level that enhances the dining experience without becoming a distraction. For instance, research shows that cafes and coffee shops with both loud music and full tables increases the likelihood of negative customer experiences.

A photo of friends and family gathering and socializing in a restaurant, with a 3D rendering of a restaurant and a screenshot of the Sonos Pro dashboard

Since background music is so important to your restaurant experience, investing in a complete sound solution will help you easily set the tone of your space. As a pioneer in multi-room audio, Sonos has revolutionized how listeners experience their favorite music in the comfort of their own homes. Now Sonos is taking its expertise and premium speakers to enhance the soundscapes of restaurants, cafes, and other businesses with Sonos Pro.

Sonos Pro provides business owners with a 

 that includes best-in-class speakers, commercially-licensed music, and an online dashboard that lets you easily control the system from anywhere. Together, these elements give you control over the atmosphere in your restaurant and also provide you with the following:

Gain a high-level view of the playlist, volume, and other settings across each location with the Sonos Pro Dashboard, so you can monitor and manage your restaurant sound from anywhere.

Explore Sonos’s catalog of commercially-licensed music and find the playlist that perfectly accentuates your restaurant brand and theme.

Access a success manager or on-demand product specialists to quickly resolve issues, minimize downtime, and bring the vibes that create memorable dining experiences for your customers.

 Amplify your atmosphere with best-in-class sound quality from Sonos speakers, and create memorable experiences that keep customers coming back.

 and find that perfect playlist to accentuate your food, brand, and atmosphere.

A photo of a bar at a stylish restaurant, with a TV and speakers behind the bar for customers to enjoy

Create the Perfect Atmosphere in Your Restaurant with Music

Picture this: you stroll into your favorite local cafe.

As the door swings open, it’s more than just the tantalizing scent of freshly ground coffee that greets you. It’s the sound. A warm tapestry of jazz instrumentals weaves through the air. The music creates an ambiance that’s inviting, familiar, and comforting — a harmonious backdrop that sparks your creativity, fuels friendly conversations, or simply helps you unwind as you crack open a novel.

Every day, millions of people across the world have a similar experience as they contribute to the United States’ 

. They may not notice it explicitly, but it’s this expertly crafted sound that transforms a cup of coffee in a crowded room into something truly extraordinary.

Music and atmosphere are central to the cafe experience.

While the link between coffee and music is typically discussed in art and pop culture, there’s science to back it up as well. Studies show that the right mix of volume and genre — 

 — can enhance the cafe experience for customers. As anyone who has ever tried to chat or work in an excessively loud cafe can attest, the reverse is also true.

For coffee shop owners, it’s important not to take these sound experiences for granted. The richness of cafe culture is something that’s rooted in music and other arts. Refined over centuries, the music you choose for your cafe makes a major impact on your customers and the success of your business.

In this guide, we’ll look at everything you need to know about background music for cafes, including:

What cafe culture is and its link to music

The impact that cafe background music has on customers

The effect of volume on the coffee shop experience

How Sonos Pro gives coffee shops all the tools they need to succeed

A depth-of-field photo in a busy cafe of a customer in a hat from behind, the rest of the bustling scene is stylishly blurred

Music and cafe culture — the secret behind the best coffee shop experiences

Nearly 1.5 billion cups of coffee are consumed every day, signifying the drink’s status as a truly-global societal staple. But the popularity of coffee, and its link to music and culture, is nothing new – from the vibrant social hubs of the 15th-century Middle East to the Beat poet, jazz, and folk music performances of mid-20th-century North America — coffee and music have been intertwined across time and cultures.

Modern coffee chains and stand-alone shops continue to uphold this tradition, using music to transform an ordinary coffee drink in an ordinary building into an extraordinary experience.

Cafe culture refers to the tradition of socializing, working, reading, or relaxing in cafes or coffeehouses. It’s the recognition that cafes and coffee shops serve not just as a place to consume coffee and food, but also as a social institution that encourages conversation, creativity, and community.

In different regions and periods, cafe culture has taken on various forms and significance, acting as a meeting place for intellectuals and artists. Even musicians of the caliber of Mozart and Beethoven 

. Later, in the 20th century United States, cafes became associated with counterculture movements, hosting poetry readings, musical performances, and serving as meeting places for activists.

Cafe culture continues to evolve to this day. In the digital age, coffee shops increasingly function as informal workplaces and meeting spots for professionals and students, thanks to the availability of free WiFi and comfortable seating. Yet, they remain places of socialization and relaxation, where one can meet friends, enjoy a moment of solitude, or immerse oneself in the local culture. The ambiance, including the design, lighting, music, and –  of course – the quality of coffee, plays a key role in defining a cafe’s personality and the experiences it offers to its patrons.

Essentially, coffee shops and cafes have always used music as a place to generate creative, collaborative experiences. This is more than just a cultural impact — music is influential in determining our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

A detailed photo of a coffee machine in a cafe, surrounded by various other equipment

A photo from above of a customer in a cafe, writing in a notepad while enjoying a coffee and using a laptop computer

Just like how the ambiance of a restaurant impacts how your customers experience the food, drinks, and service, the music you select for your cafe can also influence your patrons to a surprising degree.

Specifically, background music affects customer behavior, emotions, and spending habits in a cafe setting.

Impact of music on customer experiences and behavior

Music has a major impact on our mood, thoughts, and behavior — it even shapes our spending habits. In fact, one of the first things people do when they are feeling upset is to play uplifting music.

It’s a simple, but powerful strategy: improve the mood of customers so you drive action and create an emotional connection that will keep them coming back. Studies find that businesses, from retail stores to restaurants, that use uplifting, high-tempo music tend to generate more sales than their counterparts.

From a communal standpoint, music also helps establish settings where people feel comfortable conversing or working with others. This makes sense, given that cafe culture is historically founded on bringing people together in common spaces and using music to encourage social behavior. Selecting the right background music sets the stage for memorable experiences and can help cement your cafe as a community’s favorite spot.

Music also influences how long people spend in your cafe. If you are concerned about people camping out for long periods of time, playing more energetic music is a great way to increase turnover and keep new customers coming in.

Given that coffee, caffeine in particular, also drives human behavior, combining it with the right music makes it all the more powerful.

Choosing the right music for your patrons

Cafe music, or “coffeehouse”, is more than just bossa nova and jazz. The broad appeal of cafe culture means these businesses draw on a diverse customer base that may resonate with a range of different genres.

The coffeehouse genre is often characterized by its relaxed and inviting sound, which incorporates elements of folk, jazz, blues, indie, and pop. The music is typically selected for suitability as a cafe background, with acoustics and lyrics that create a blended sense of intimacy and relaxation, allowing people to focus on primary tasks.

Notable artists associated with this genre range from Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, and Sara Bareilles to earlier influencers like Joni Mitchell and James Taylor. Given this fluid genre, coffeehouse playlists often incorporate many different types of music.

If you’re looking to energize your customers with the right cafe background music, you can’t go wrong with these iconic genres:

Jazz is an improvisational and expressive music genre characterized by complex rhythms, soulful melodies, and elements of swing and blues. Its laid-back, inviting tone and ability to foster an atmosphere of casual sophistication have made it a common choice for coffeehouses, promoting a sense of relaxation and conversation among patrons.

Pop music is characterized by its catchy melodies, repeated choruses, and generally upbeat rhythms, making it accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience. Its broad appeal and upbeat energy make it a popular choice as background music in franchised coffee shops, especially during peak hours, to create a lively, engaging atmosphere.

Alternative music emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s, distinctive for its diversity of sound and its deviation from mainstream pop and rock. Its eclectic, and often introspective, nature allows it to set a distinctive, creative ambiance in coffeehouses, appealing especially to younger, indie-loving demographics while aligning perfectly with the spirit of cafe culture.

Folk music is characterized by the expression of the “common person’s” life experiences through simple, acoustic-based melodies. Its authenticity and warmth have made it a staple in coffeehouses, offering a cozy, community-focused atmosphere that complements the social nature of café culture.

Classical music is a traditional genre known for its intricate compositions, which are often associated with orchestral and instrumental music from the Western tradition, that span centuries from medieval to modern times. Its calming, sophisticated nature suits the coffeehouse environment perfectly, providing a backdrop of heightened stimulation that improves focus and encourages contemplation — perfect for work, reading, or quiet conversation.

While you may be overwhelmed by the multiple genres associated with coffeehouse music, it’s important to remember that genre is just one part of the equation.

A study about how pop and classical music affect a consumer’s likelihood of purchasing coffee finds that 

both genres had a significant positive impact

. In other words, it’s the presence of the music, not necessarily its style, that drives consumer behavior.

The fact that genre impacts your cafe background less than the simple presence of music does make sense when you consider another key component: volume.

Whether your customers are there to work, study, socialize, or just enjoy a moment, there’s nothing more distracting than loud or inconsistent music. Your cafe background sound needs to create a welcoming atmosphere that accommodates a range of different activities.

It’s also important to remember that, while coffee shops are conversational spaces, the combined volume of background music and people talking can be too much. Studies show that coffee shops that are 

 are more likely to deliver a negative experience. In these cases, balancing out the busyness with relaxing music at lower decibels can maintain that inviting environment.

But volume isn’t just for accommodating the needs of customers; you also have a business to run. The loudness of your cafe music actually gives you some control over traffic flow throughout the day. Playing louder music during peak hours will help drive turnover so you can capitalize on the rush. Once that’s passed, you can reduce the volume and create an ambient atmosphere that encourages customers to stay during slower times.

As much as cafe culture plays a role in bringing customers to your shop, it’s clear that the quality of your sound experience has an even greater impact. That’s why the music you play, 

How To Set Up a Music System in Your Retail Store

Create the Perfect Atmosphere in Your Restaurant with Music

Background music for cafes: how to amplify your business and customer experience

The Ultimate Guide to Sonos for Business and Commercial Use

How To Remotely Manage and Monitor Music in Your Retail Store

Music Streaming for Businesses: How to Choose the Right Solution

How Chaia Tacos uses Sonos Pro to succeed at scale

6 Tips for Creating A Better Retail Experience with Music

How Restaurants Can Use Music to Increase Customer Retention

Commercially Licensed Music: How to Select Sound for your Business

How To Choose the Best Music for Every Retail Event

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Create the Perfect Atmosphere in Your Restaurant with Music