Instrumental music, such as classical music, instrumental versions of Top 40 songs or something else entirely, is always customer-friendly. This is the case because there is no content in an instrumental piece that offends: no controversial themes and no swearing. In the United States, grocery stores often play instrumental music. This kind of music is also often heard in elevators, hence the term “elevator music.”
What music a store determines to be customer-friendly will often depend on its regular clientele. A big box store such as Walmart or Target, that attracts a large proportion of the U.S. population, must be careful with the music played in stores; the more people shop in a store, the more likely someone is to be offended. A music store, that caters largely to punks, goths or emo kids, on the other hand, will have more leeway to play a larger variety of music. Darker themes and swearing are less likely to offend this kind of crowd.
Soon after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a customer walked into the Tower Records in Vienna, Virginia wearing a T-shirt with a large American flag on the front. At the time, that store was playing a CD entitled “Desert Roses and Arabian Rhythms;” the customer decided that Arab music was inappropriate – and perhaps unpatriotic – so soon after the recent tragedy. The customer then decided to pick a fight with one of Tower Records’ clerks, who ordered the customer to leave for expressing racism. While “the customer is always right” is generally the number one rule of American retail, stores do not have to cater to potential racism in the local population when selecting in-store music.
Many stores play music that is currently popular on the Top Ten radio stations. This helps a store push recent releases if it sells music. It also helps stores because the general public has heard these songs in other public places – such as gyms, television shows or other stores – and is less likely to complain about them.