Most Annoying Christmas Songs

[oldies76]

I've noticed several stores are still playing Christmas music including the Lowe's store where I work. I love Christmas and Christmas music, but it's passed. But I guess some stores will still play it until New Year's day and possibly through next weekend. When does Muzak shut down their holiday channels?

I believe those channels are accessible year round. It's up to the store manager to change it back manually or the corporates offices to do it for them. Our store switched back 12/26 to regular music. I have to say, that "Holiday Pop" channel is one of the worst lineups I've ever heard in a store. Whoever programs that channel needs a serious lecture on selection and rotation skills.

 

[CTListener]

I believe those channels are accessible year round. It's up to the store manager to change it back manually or the corporates offices to do it for them. Our store switched back 12/26 to regular music. I have to say, that "Holiday Pop" channel is one of the worst lineups I've ever heard in a store. Whoever programs that channel needs a serious lecture on selection and rotation skills.

Just how long do you think people spend in stores and how often do they go there? If the same song by the same artist isn't being played two or three times every hour, there'll be nothing to notice or complain about -- not that shoppers in the Sacred Sales Demo really care about what's playing on the store's sound system so long as it's "Christmassy."

 

[TheBigA]

I've noticed several stores are still playing Christmas music including the Lowe's store where I work.

I think Lowes is one of those chains that does its own in-store network that all stores run. It has all the announcements built in.

 

[crainbebo]

As far as I can tell, the store I work at in Ellensburg was using Muzak/Mood Holiday Traditional. If I was manager I would have preferred Mood's Holiday Favorites over the traditional. Just seems odd not to hear Mariah Carey or Michael Buble. And hearing novelty stuff got old fast. I.e. 'Nuttin for Christmas' and the Two Front Teeth song.
They have gone back to the regular intercom music, which is Muzak/Mood's '70s Hits channel. No FM1 at my store. And that playlist is wide as the Mississippi. Where else have I heard George Benson 'Breezin'', Average White Band 'Pick Up the Pieces' and Chuck Mangione's 'Feels So Good' mixed in with usual 70s vocal hits?

 

[vchimpanzee]

As far as I can tell, the store I work at in Ellensburg was using Muzak/Mood Holiday Traditional. If I was manager I would have preferred Mood's Holiday Favorites over the traditional. Just seems odd not to hear Mariah Carey or Michael Buble. And hearing novelty stuff got old fast. I.e. 'Nuttin for Christmas' and the Two Front Teeth song.
They have gone back to the regular intercom music, which is Muzak/Mood's '70s Hits channel. No FM1 at my store. And that playlist is wide as the Mississippi. Where else have I heard George Benson 'Breezin'', Average White Band 'Pick Up the Pieces' and Chuck Mangione's 'Feels So Good' mixed in with usual 70s vocal hits?

How do you not have Michael Buble on a format called "Holiday Traditional"?

I like those three songs listed for the 70s channel.

 

[crainbebo]

At least I think it's Mood's service. No commercials or announcements over the feed, except for those using the intercom. Not the In Store Audio Network either, which a couple of grocery stores use here.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Just how long do you think people spend in stores and how often do they go there? If the same song by the same artist isn't being played two or three times every hour, there'll be nothing to notice or complain about -- not that shoppers in the Sacred Sales Demo really care about what's playing on the store's sound system so long as it's "Christmassy."

Even with being there for 8 hours I haven't noticed much overlap of the same versions of songs, but there were multiple versions of some. And being there multiple days it does get old with some of them.

I think Lowes is one of those chains that does its own in-store network that all stores run. It has all the announcements built in.

At least for Christmas, I know they were using the Holiday Pop channel because it matched up on the What's Playing Now webpage, but it may be controlled by a corporate office. I'll admit it had too much newer music and not enough older music. I would have liked the Holiday Favorites better.

 

[oldies76]

Just how long do you think people spend in stores and how often do they go there? If the same song by the same artist isn't being played two or three times every hour, there'll be nothing to notice or complain about -- not that shoppers in the Sacred Sales Demo really care about what's playing on the store's sound system so long as it's "Christmassy."

Some shoppers have stayed in our store for 2-3 hours at a time, so yes, they listen, not to mention all the employees working 8 hour shifts this time of year listening to 5 different versions of "This Christmas" and "Let it Snow" by recent singers which nobody will remember. It's a badly programmed channel. And as you can see on the Hot 100, timeless classics are charting, not recent throwaways.

 

[CTListener]

Some shoppers have stayed in our store for 2-3 hours at a time, so yes, they listen, not to mention all the employees working 8 hour shifts this time of year listening to 5 different versions of "This Christmas" and "Let it Snow" by recent singers which nobody will remember. It's a badly programmed channel. And as you can see on the Hot 100, timeless classics are charting, not recent throwaways.

Irrelevant. Nobody comes to your store or any other store to listen to the Christmas music. They come to buy stuff and get the hell out of there. They aren't going to leave and shop somewhere else because they've heard two versions of "Winter Wonderland" by singers born after 1990. And they certainly aren't going to give two jingle bells where the music they're hearing is on the Billboard Hot 100. The employees don't like it? Tough. They're not there to listen to the music either.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Irrelevant. Nobody comes to your store or any other store to listen to the Christmas music. They come to buy stuff and get the hell out of there.

My wife will shop at Walmart for several hours, especially if she's by herself and doesn't have me or our daughter wanting her to hurry up. But I've never heard her complain about the music either. But because of having been in retailing on and off most of my adult life I usually try to get what I'm looking for and get out.