The Science Is Clear: Music Sells
For decades, researchers have studied the relationship between ambient music and consumer behavior. The findings are remarkably consistent — and remarkably underutilized.
A landmark study by Soundtrack Your Brand, conducted in collaboration with the Swedish fashion retailer Gant, found that customers spent 42% more time in-store when curated, brand-aligned music was playing compared to no music at all. More striking still, when the music specifically matched the brand identity, sales increased by 37% compared to random playlists [1].
These aren't isolated findings. MRC Data reports that 84% of shoppers consciously notice the background music in retail environments [2]. A 2023 study from the University of Bath found that consumer spending in supermarkets increases by more than 10% on weekdays when music is playing [3].
The Wrong Music Is Worse Than No Music
Perhaps the most counterintuitive finding comes from a study conducted at Filippa K stores in Sweden. When employees were allowed to choose the music — a common practice in independent retail — sales actually decreased by 6% compared to a professionally curated playlist [1].
This aligns with the broader academic literature. Garlin and Owen's meta-analytic review (2006), which synthesized findings from dozens of studies across 570 academic citations, concluded that the fit between music and brand environment is the single most important variable — more important than tempo, volume, or genre in isolation [4].
The Numbers for Multi-Location Brands
For a retail chain operating 50 locations, the impact compounds dramatically:
| Metric | Without Strategic Music | With Brand-Aligned Music |
|---|---|---|
| Average dwell time | Baseline | +42% (Gant/SYB study) |
| Sales uplift | Baseline | +9% to +37% depending on brand fit |
| Brand recall | Baseline | +76% with consistent sonic identity (Kantar/WARC) |
| Customer return rate | Baseline | +20% satisfaction scores (EHL Hospitality Insights) |
92% of retail brand leaders surveyed by Soundtrack Your Brand believe that the right music leads to longer customer stays and higher spending. Yet fewer than 30% have a formal music strategy [1].
The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong
Beyond lost revenue, there's a compliance dimension that many businesses overlook. In Italy, any commercial use of copyrighted music requires a SIAE license (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori). The 2026 tariffs for background music in retail spaces range from €64.45 to €542.90 per year per device, depending on store size — and that's before adding diritti connessi (neighboring rights), which can add another 50-70% to the total [5].
For a chain with 100 locations averaging 200 square meters each, the annual SIAE cost alone exceeds €14,800 — plus an estimated €7,000-10,000 in neighboring rights fees. Add a traditional background music service provider at €50-100 per month per location, and the total reaches €82,000-145,000 per year [5][6].
And that's just the cost of compliance. The cost of not having the right music — the lost sales, the shorter dwell times, the weaker brand recall — is far greater.
What This Means for Your Brand
The evidence points to a clear conclusion: background music isn't a nice-to-have. It's a measurable business lever that most brands are either ignoring or mismanaging.
The question isn't whether to invest in your sonic environment. It's whether you can afford not to.
Sources
[1] Soundtrack Your Brand / HUI Research, "The Impact of Music on Sales" (2017-2024). Studies conducted across Gant, Filippa K, and multiple retail brands in Sweden.
[2] MRC Data (formerly Nielsen Music), "Music 360 Consumer Report" (2023).
[3] University of Bath, "The Effect of Background Music on Consumer Spending in Supermarkets" (2023).
[4] Garlin, F.V. & Owen, K., "Setting the Tone with the Tune: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of Background Music in Retail Settings," Journal of Business Research, 59(6), 755-764 (2006).
[5] SIAE, "Tariffe Musica d'Ambiente — Negozi, Attività Commerciali e Grande Distribuzione" (2026). Official tariff document.
[6] Mood Media, Rockbot, Soundtrack Your Brand — publicly listed pricing for commercial background music services (2024-2025).