MightyMixesBlog

Why the right music matters more than you think in your business

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 03:27:22 GMT

Why music is one of the most overlooked parts of your brand experience

Most businesses treat music as an afterthought.

A playlist gets turned on in the morning and left to run all day. Staff jump in and out of control of it. Or it simply becomes whatever was playing yesterday.

It seems harmless, but it is not.

Music is one of the most powerful and underused tools in your business. It shapes how people feel the moment they walk in, how they move through your space, how long they stay, and whether they come back.

If it is wrong, it creates subtle friction. If it is right, it quietly supports every part of the customer experience.

Music sets the tone before anything else does

When someone walks into your space, they are already forming an opinion.

This happens before they speak to your staff or properly look at your product. They are reacting to how the space feels, and music plays a big role in that.

Faster, more energetic music tends to create a sense of movement and urgency. Slower, softer music helps people relax and settle in. Familiar songs can feel safe and comfortable, while a more curated or niche selection can signal a more premium or considered brand.

Customers do not consciously analyse this. They are not thinking about your playlist. They are simply deciding, often within seconds, whether the space feels right to them.

It influences how people behave in your space

Music does not just affect mood, it changes behaviour.

The tempo, volume and style all influence how people move and interact. Faster music tends to increase pace. People walk quicker, make faster decisions and often spend less time browsing. Slower music encourages people to slow down, look around and engage more deeply.

Volume matters as well. A louder environment can feel energetic, but it can also become overwhelming and push people out sooner than you would like.

This is where intention matters. If your goal is to move people through quickly, a higher energy playlist may support that. If your goal is to keep people in your space longer, a more relaxed approach is usually more effective.

Most businesses are not making these decisions consciously. They are simply playing music they like, without thinking about the impact it is having.

Dwell time and spend are closely linked

There is a clear relationship between how long someone stays and how much they spend.

When people feel comfortable, they tend to linger. They browse more, they notice more, and they are more open to making additional purchases. The environment feels easy, so they stay.

When something feels off, even slightly, they leave sooner. The music might be too loud, too chaotic, or just not aligned with the space. They may not be able to explain it, but the result is the same.

You rarely get direct feedback about this. Customers do not say the music made them leave. They just shorten their visit and move on.

Music is part of your brand whether you manage it or not

Most businesses put a lot of effort into their visual identity. They invest in design, signage, layout and fit-out.

But music is often left unmanaged, even though it is just as much a part of the brand experience.

If your brand is positioned as premium or considered, but your music feels random or generic, there is a disconnect. If your brand is relaxed and welcoming, but the music feels intense or impersonal, that creates tension as well.

Customers may not be able to articulate the problem, but they feel it. Strong brands feel consistent, and that includes what people hear, not just what they see.

The wrong music quietly undermines everything else

You can have a well-designed space, a strong product and great service, and still create a poor experience if the music does not fit.

This is where it becomes more than just a “vibe” issue. It starts to impact how your business is perceived.

When music is inconsistent or poorly matched, it can reduce the sense of quality, create discomfort and shorten the time people spend with you. These are small shifts, but they add up.

One playlist all day does not reflect how your customers change

Customer behaviour is not the same throughout the day, yet many businesses use a single playlist from open to close.

The energy in the morning is different to the middle of the day, and different again in the afternoon or evening.

The mix of people changes, their mindset changes, and what they need from the space shifts as well.

If your music stays the same, it stops supporting what is actually happening in your business.

Even small adjustments in tempo and style across the day can better match the rhythm of your customers.

Leaving music to staff creates inconsistency

Handing control of music to staff is common, but it often leads to a fragmented experience.

Different people have different tastes. What one person thinks works, another might change completely. Over time, the music becomes inconsistent and disconnected from the brand.

Customers experience your business as one environment, not as a series of individual preferences. When the music keeps shifting, it can feel unsettled, even if people cannot quite explain why.

Music should be intentional, not incidental

The businesses that get this right treat music as part of their overall strategy.

They think about how they want customers to feel, how they want them to behave, and how music can support that. They align it with their brand, adjust it across the day and keep it consistent across their locations.

“Music is not just background, it is part of how a brand communicates. When it is done well, customers feel it immediately, even if they cannot explain why.”
Steven Worth, Owner, Mighty Mixes

It does not need to be complicated, but it does need to be considered.

Final thought

If you would not let a random playlist define your visual branding or customer service, it does not make sense to let it define your environment.

Music is one of the few things every customer experiences, from the moment they walk in to the moment they leave.

Used well, it supports everything you are trying to achieve. Left unmanaged, it can quietly work against you.

Want to get your music working properly?

If you have never really thought about your in-store music, or you know it is inconsistent, it is worth taking a closer look.

Start by asking a simple question, does your music match your brand and the experience you want customers to have?

If the answer is no, or you are not sure, that is usually where the opportunity sits.

“Most businesses are already playing music, they are just not using it properly.”
Steven Worth, Owner, Mighty Mixes

Mighty Mixes works with businesses to take the guesswork out of this, creating tailored, consistent music strategies that support how your space actually runs day to day.

Explore how it works or get in touch to have a quick conversation about your space and what might be possible.

The rhythm of dining: how Australian restaurants use music to shape mood

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:59:57 GMT

In great restaurants, everything works in harmony. The food, the lighting, the chatter of guests - and, often without us noticing, the music.

The right soundtrack can transform how a space feels and how long people stay. It can make a bustling dining room feel alive or a fine-dining venue feel calm and composed.

Across Australia, restaurateurs are paying closer attention to the power of sound. From tempo and tone to genre and timing, music is now seen as a key ingredient in crafting an atmosphere that feels intentional, immersive and memorable.

Why tempo sets the pace

Every piece of music has a rhythm — its beats per minute (BPM) — and that rhythm subtly shapes how people behave. Slow, warm tracks at around 70–90 BPM can help guests relax and savour. Slightly faster songs, at 100–120 BPM, naturally lift energy and turnover.

“Tempo has a physiological effect,” explains music psychologist Rita Aiello. “When music slows down, people breathe slower, talk softer and stay longer. When it speeds up, they subconsciously match it.”

Many restaurants are now building playlists that follow the arc of a service. The early sitting might open with soft, low-tempo tunes that make guests comfortable. As the room fills, the energy rises — subtle funk, soulful pop or light house beats give a sense of momentum. Later in the night, the playlist gradually winds down, helping the space feel more intimate again.

This isn’t about manipulation — it’s about flow. The goal is to guide mood in a way that feels natural, not forced.

Music as part of the brand

Music is fast becoming part of a restaurant’s identity. In Melbourne’s laneways, you might find modern Asian eateries layering atmospheric electronica behind the clink of cocktails, while suburban bistros opt for nostalgic soul or Australian indie tracks that feel warm and familiar.

In Sydney, waterfront venues often favour breezy acoustic and chill-house playlists that match the pace of long lunches in the sun. Brisbane and the Gold Coast lean toward upbeat funk and feel-good pop to match their lively outdoor dining scenes.

For many owners, curating this soundscape is as important as designing the fit-out or writing the menu. Some take the DIY route, building playlists on streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. Others turn to music curation specialists who tailor selections to brand tone, time of day and crowd profile.

The difference is noticeable. A well-curated soundtrack gives cohesion — every sensory element feels connected. Poorly chosen music, on the other hand, can instantly break the mood.

The link between sound and taste

It’s not just ambience that music affects — it can change how food is perceived. Experimental psychologist Charles Spence from the University of Oxford has shown that background sound alters flavour experience.

Low, rich tones can make food taste fuller; high, delicate sounds can make dishes seem lighter. Classical music makes diners spend more. When the soundtrack matches the cuisine — say, Latin rhythms in a tapas bar or smooth jazz in a steakhouse — food can actually taste more authentic.

The connection is emotional as much as sensory. Music sets the context for how food is received. A plate of hand-rolled pasta feels different with an Italian crooner in the background than with chart pop. Sound becomes the invisible seasoning that completes the experience.

The Australian approach

Australia’s dining culture is uniquely relaxed, diverse and curious — and so is its music. Rather than sticking to one genre, venues often mix styles to reflect their audience and mood. You might hear R&B segue into indie folk, or classic soul followed by local electronic artists.

That blend of polish and ease mirrors the Australian style of hospitality: professional, but never stiff. We’re a nation that values authenticity, and that extends to the playlists we hear over a long lunch or a glass of wine at the bar.

At the same time, expectations have risen. Diners are more musically literate than ever, used to curated Spotify playlists and algorithmic mixes in their daily lives. A clashing or repetitive track list stands out quickly. Restaurants are responding with playlists that evolve through the night, changing energy levels to match the mood of the crowd.

The rise of professional curation

A decade ago, restaurant music was an afterthought. Many relied on radio stations or the manager’s personal playlist. Today, it’s a discipline in its own right. Professional curators — often musicians, DJs or branding specialists — design sound identities for venues, much like visual designers create logos and interiors.

These soundtracks are carefully mapped. They consider the venue’s architecture, ceiling height, time of day, and even the acoustic materials in the room. The result is a musical experience that blends seamlessly with the sensory environment — sound that feels like it belongs.

In large hospitality groups, consistency across multiple venues is key. A breakfast bar at a Byron Bay resort might open with sunlit acoustic folk, while the attached evening restaurant shifts to smooth soul and low-fi jazz. Both share the same sonic fingerprint, but adapted to their context.

Why it matters

When music works, guests rarely notice it. They just feel good — comfortable, connected, and more likely to stay for another glass or dessert. It can shape pace, perception and memory. Long after a meal ends, people often recall how a venue felt, not just what they ate.

As one restaurateur put it: “You can have the best food in the world, but if the music is wrong, the whole room feels off.”

Sound isn’t background. It’s part of the storytelling — the beat beneath the brand.