Muzak

Inventor George Owen Squier, credited with inventing telephone carrier multiplexing in 1910, developed the original technical basis for Muzak.{{cite book |title=George Owen Squier: U.S. Army Major General, Inventor

|quote=During the 1920s and '30s, Major General George Owen Squier was one of the most famous men in America and abroad, as a scientist, soldier, military ...|isbn=978-0786476350|last1=Clark|first1=Paul W.|last2=Lyons|first2=Laurence A.|date=2014|publisher=McFarland }}{{cite web |title=George Owen Squier Invents Muzak

|url=http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=3821

|quote=In 1922 American Army Signal Corps officer and inventor Major General George Owen Squier of Washington, D.C. created "Wired Radio," a service that ...}}{{cite web

|title=The rise of elevator Muzak began with this Michigan inventor

|date=September 13, 2017

|url=http://www.michiganradio.org/post/rise-elevator-muzak-began-michigan-inventor

|quote=Major General George Owen Squier. The name may not be familiar, but his work in the fields of aeronautics and radio communications ...}} He was granted several US patents in the 1920s related to transmission of information signals, among them {{US Patent|1641608}} a system for the transmission and distribution of signals over electrical lines.{{Cite web |url= https://patents.google.com/patent/US1641608 |title= Patents |access-date= July 9, 2013 }}

Squier recognized the potential for this technology to be used to deliver music to listeners without the use of radio, which at the time was in early state and required fussy and expensive equipment. Early successful tests were performed, delivering music to customers on New York's Staten Island via their electrical wires.

In 1922, the rights to Squier's patents were acquired by the North American Company utility conglomerate, which created the firm Wired Radio, Inc. to deliver music to their customers, charging them for music on their electric bill. By the 1930s radio had made great advances, and households began listening to broadcasts received via the airwaves for free, supported by advertising.

Squier remained involved in the project, but as the home market became eclipsed by radio in 1934 he changed the company's focus to delivering music to commercial clients.{{cite journal

|author=Stuart Isacoff |title=Environmental music

|journal=The Grove Dictionary of American Music|date=January 31, 2014|volume=2nd Edition}}{{cite journal |author=Jesse Jarnow

|title= Elevator music |journal= The Grove Dictionary of American Music |date= July 25, 2013 |volume=2nd Edition }} Intrigued by the made-up word Kodak used as a trademark, he combined it with "music" to create the word Muzak, which became the company's new name.{{cite journal|last1=Toop|first1=David|title=Environmental Music [background music]|url=https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000043820|journal=Grove Music Online|year=2001|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.43820|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0|access-date=February 21, 2015}}

In 1937, the Muzak division was purchased from the North American Company by Warner Bros.,{{cite web |title=History of Muzak, Inc. |website=FundingUniverse.com

|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/muzak-inc-history}} which expanded it into other cities. It was bought by entrepreneur William Benton who wanted to introduce Muzak into new markets like barbershops and doctors' offices. While Muzak had initially produced tens of thousands of original artist recordings by the top performers of the late 1930s and 1940s, their new strategy required a different sound.

The company began customizing the pace and style of the music provided throughout the workday in an effort to maintain productivity.{{Cite book |title= Building a better consumerism. Kaufentscheidungen durch Musik am Beispiel des Klangkonzeptes der Mall of America |author= Anika Lampe |year=2006 |publisher= University of Lueneburg }} The music was programmed in 15-minute blocks, gradually getting faster in tempo and louder and brassier in instrumentation, to encourage workers to speed up their pace. Following the completion of a 15-minute segment, the music would fall silent for 15 minutes. This was partly done for technical reasons, but company-funded research also showed that alternating music with silence limited listener fatigue, and made the "stimulus" effect of Stimulus Progression more effective.

During this period, Muzak began recording their own "orchestra"{{snd}}actually a number of orchestras in studios around the country, sometimes in other countries as well{{snd}}composed of top local studio musicians. This allowed them to control all aspects of the music for insertion into specific slots in the Stimulus Progression programs.{{cite book |last1=Lanza |first1=Joseph |title=Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-Listening, and Other Moodsong; Revised and Expanded Edition |date=2004 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=0472089420 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=co2HAgAAQBAJ}}{{cite book |last1=Passman |first1=Donald S. |title=All You Need to Know About the Music Business |date=2011 |publisher=RosettaBooks |isbn=9780795309779 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QtFh7bEVNUEC }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Muzak's popularity remained high through the mid-1960s. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president to pump Muzak into the West Wing, and Lyndon B. Johnson owned the Muzak franchise in Austin, Texas. NASA reportedly used Muzak in many of its space missions to soothe astronauts and occupy periods of inactivity.{{Cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/feb/11/globalrecession-useconomicgrowth|title=Debt-laden Muzak finds that recession is a mute point|author=Julia Finch|date=February 11, 2009|newspaper=The guardian |access-date= July 9, 2013 }}

With the rise in youth culture and the growing influence of the baby boomer generation in the 1960s and 1970s, Muzak's popularity declined. It began losing market share to new "foreground music" companies, such as AEI Music Network Inc. and Yesco, that offered so-called "original artist music programming." Rather than using orchestral re-recordings as Muzak had for its Stimulus Progression program, they licensed original recordings, and included vocal music. They also offered many styles, from rock and pop to Spanish-language programming (for Mexican restaurants), jazz, blues and classical, as well as the traditional "easy listening." Foreground music markets included restaurants, fashion stores, retail outlets, malls, dental offices, airlines and public spaces.

Muzak merged with Yesco in September 1986.{{cite news |title=Yesco Merger Next for Muzak |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-09-10-8603070753-story.html |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=10 September 1986}} When Muzak began programming original artists in 1984, it was after merging with Yesco, and the programming was done by Yesco. This necessitated abandonment of the Stimulus Progression concept.{{cn|date=October 2020}} Since 1997, Muzak has used original artists for its music,{{cite magazine |last=Owen |first=David |date=April 10, 2006 |title=Annals of Culture: The Soundtrack of Your Life |url=http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/04/10/060410fa_fact?currentPage=3 |magazine=The New Yorker}} except on its Environmental channel.{{cite web |date=November 10, 2006 |title=Encompass LE Program Listing |url=http://www.muzak.com/downloads/LE_programs.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070423113945/http://www.muzak.com/downloads/LE_programs.pdf |archive-date=April 23, 2007 |access-date=April 19, 2007 |publisher=Muzak Corporation}} (PDF)

A small contingent of Muzak's business continued to provide their trademarked background music sound where it remained popular, particularly in Japan.{{Cite news |url= http://ontheroadthroughasia.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/japans-muzak-obsession/|title=On the Road Through Asia|date=February 6, 2009|access-date= July 9, 2013 }}

Muzak was, since the 1940s, a franchise operation, with local offices each purchasing performance licenses for subscribers to the music, delivery technology, and brand name for their geographic areas. The company (franchisor) changed hands several times, becoming a division of the Field Corporation in the mid-1980s.{{cite web |title=Muzak, Inc. – Originators of 'Elevator Music'

|website=HistoryLink.org |url=http://www.historylink.org/File/10072}}

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Muzak moved away from the "elevator music" approach and instead began to offer multiple specialized channels of popular music. Muzak pioneered "audio architecture", a process of designing custom music playlists for specific customers.

Even with the changes in format, rocker Ted Nugent used Muzak as an icon of everything "uncool" about music. In 1986, he publicly made a $10 million bid to purchase the company with the stated intent of shutting it down. "Muzak is an evil force in today's society, causing people to lapse into uncontrollable fits of blandness," Nugent said. "It's been responsible for ruining some of the best minds of our generation." His bid was refused by Muzak's then-owner, the Westinghouse Electric Corporation.{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Wa8yAAAAIBAJ&pg=3820%2C3480825 |title=Muzak to his ears |publisher= The Ottawa Citizen |date=17 March 1986}}

By the late 1990s, the Muzak corporation had largely rebranded itself. As of 2010, Muzak distributed 3 million commercially available original artist songs. {{Cite web |title=On the next edition of The Other Side: Sequestered episode 15 "Muzak & Elevator Music". – KVMR Community Radio |date=June 28, 2020 |url=https://www.kvmr.org/on-the-next-edition-of-the-other-side-sequestered-episode-15-muzak-elevator-music/ |access-date=2024-05-19 |language=en-US}} It offered almost 100 channels of music via satellite or IP delivery, in addition to completely custom music programs tailored to their customers' needs.

According to EchoStar, one of Muzak's distribution providers, Muzak's business music service was broadcast on rented bandwidth from EchoStar VII, in geostationary orbit at 119 degrees west longitude. Other rented bandwidth included an analog service on Galaxy 3C and a digital service on SES-3.{{cite web |url= http://www.getfilings.com/o0001193125-05-077673.html |title=Muzak Holdings Finance Corp – 10-K Annual Report |date= December 31, 2004 |publisher= getfilings.com |access-date= October 2, 2015}}

On April 12, 2007, Muzak Holdings, LLC announced to its employees that it might merge with DMX Music.{{Citation |title=Muzak Seeks Merger with Rival DMX|author=John Downey |date= April 13, 2007 |publisher= Charlotte Business Journal}} This merger was approved by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division one year later.{{Cite press release |url= http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/muzak-and-dmx-receive-doj-clearance-to-merge-57137607.html |title= Muzak and DMX Receive DOJ Clearance to Merge |publisher= PR Newswire |access-date= July 9, 2013 }} However, by April 2009, the deal appeared to have faltered.{{cite news |title= Muzak Is Still Upbeat |author= Pete Iacobelli |date= April 6, 2009 |publisher= The News & Observer }}

On January 23, 2009, a spokesperson said Muzak was attempting to restructure its debt, and filing for bankruptcy was one of several options. The company had ample cash but had large amounts of debt coming due in the midst of a difficult economic climate.{{cite news |title= Muzak Facing Hard Choices |author= Adam Bell |date= January 24, 2009 |publisher=The News & Observer}}

On February 10, 2009, Muzak Holdings LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.{{Citation|title=Muzak files for bankruptcy under heavy debt|date=February 10, 2009|publisher=Associated Press }} Kirkland & Ellis was hired as the company's bankruptcy law firm. Moelis & Company served as the financial advisor.

On September 10, 2009, Muzak said it had filed a reorganization plan which would cut the company's debt by more than 50%. The plan would pay all banks everything they were owed in some form and would give high-ranking unsecured creditors ownership in the reorganized company. Other creditors would receive warrants to buy stock.{{Cite news |title= Muzak reorganization plan cuts debt in half |date= September 10, 2009 |publisher=MSN Money (Associated Press) }} The company said an "overwhelming majority" of unsecured creditors supported the plan.{{Citation |title=A chorus of support from Muzak creditors |author= Rochelle, Bill |date=September 11, 2009 |publisher= The Charlotte Observer }}

File:Muzak logo.svg

On January 12, 2010, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved the plan to reduce Muzak's debt by more than half, allowing Muzak to officially emerge from bankruptcy.{{cite news |title=Muzak poised to exit bankruptcy |author=Aronoff |date= January 13, 2010 |publisher= The Charlotte Observer }}

Following bankruptcy, the company announced an initiative to realign its corporate structure into three specialized business units: Muzak Media; Touch, a Muzak Co.; and Muzak Systems. These units will focus on content acquisition, Sensory Branding, and new delivery platform technology.

In March 2011, Mood Media agreed to purchase Muzak Holdings for $345 million. On February 5, 2013, Mood Media announced it was retiring the name 'Muzak' as part of its integration plans.{{Citation|title= Muzak, Background Music to Life, to Lose Its Name|author=Sisario, Ben|date=February 4, 2013|work=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/business/muzak-background-music-to-life-to-lose-its-name.html}}[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000tlw8#:~:text=This%20programme%20serves%20as%20part,use%20or%20misuse%20of%20technology. The Day the Muzak Died], BBC radio documentary by Falling Tree Productions, broadcast 30 March 2021

Founded in 2004, Mood Media had a market capitalization of about $380 million as of 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703784004576220473535657098|title=Mood Media to Acquire Muzak for $305 Million|author=Anupreeta Das|date=March 24, 2011|publisher=The Wall Street Journal|access-date= July 9, 2013 }} In March 2011, Mood Media agreed to purchase Muzak Holdings for $345 million. Although Muzak first appeared in 1934, it had its largest impact in the 1960s and 1970s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171191578/easy-listening-muzak-reborn-as-mood-media|title=Easy-Listening 'Muzak' Reborn As 'Mood Media'|date=February 5, 2013|publisher=NPR Music|access-date= July 9, 2013 }} In 2013, Mood Media announced it would be consolidating its services under the name Mood, ceasing to use the Muzak brand name.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/business/muzak-background-music-to-life-to-lose-its-name.html?_r=2&|title=Muzak, Background Music to Life, to Lose Its Name|author=Ben Sisario|date=February 4, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date= July 9, 2013 }} Muzak provided background music to over 300,000 US locations and made most of its money through multi-year contracts. In 2013, the company provided on-hold messaging and video programming, although piped music remained its forte. Mood hoped to use Muzak's US footprint to introduce more digital services. In May 2017, Mood Media filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in an attempt to restructure their debt.{{cite news|last1=Sanchez|first1=Daniel|title=Mood Media, Muzak's Parent Company, Seeks Federal Bankruptcy Court Protection|url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/05/25/mood-media-muzak-bankruptcy/|access-date=3 January 2018|work=Digital Music News|date=25 May 2017}} The following month the company was acquired by Apollo Global Management and GSO Capital Partners.{{cite news|last1=Lazarus|first1=David|title=Whatever happened to Muzak? It's now Mood, and it's not elevator music|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-store-music-20170707-story.html|access-date=3 January 2018|work=Los Angeles Times|date=7 July 2017}} In July 2020, Mood Media filed for bankruptcy, with the COVID-19 pandemic a major reason for its financial problems. The company emerged from bankruptcy in less than 24 hours due to the agreement of all stakeholders, strong strategic plan, and stable team.{{cite news|url=https://www.statesman.com/business/20200803/austinrsquos-mood-media-emerges-from-chapter-11-bankruptcy|website=Austin American-Statesman|title=Austin's Mood Media emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy|date=2020-08-03|access-date=2021-06-12|language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2020/08/03/mood-media-emerges-bankruptcy.html|website=Austin Business Journal|title=Mood Media emerges from bankruptcy after just one day|date=2020-08-03|access-date=2021-06-12|language=en}} In January 2021 Mood Media was acquired by Vector Capital, a private equity firm specializing in investments in technology businesses.{{cite web | url=https://us.moodmedia.com/company/news/vector-capital-completes-acquisition-of-mood-media/ | title=Vector Capital Completes Acquisition of Mood Media | date=January 7, 2021 }}

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

• Applied Media Technologies Corporation
• Associated-Rediffusion
• InStore Broadcasting Network
• Music Choice
• Music While You Work
• Trusonic

• Background music
• 3M Cantata 700
• Seeburg 1000

• Beautiful music radio format
• Easy listening
• Genericized trademark

}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Wikiquote}}

{{Wiktionary|Muzak}}

• {{cite web|url=http://us.moodmedia.com/|title=Multi-Sensory Branding | Brand Marketing Agency | Neuromarketing | Muzak|publisher=muzak.com|access-date=January 25, 2014}}
• {{cite web|url=https://beta.prx.org/stories/6674|title=PRX » Piece » The Wire Episode 5: The Sound Around|publisher=prx.org|access-date=January 25, 2014}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.moodmedia.com|title=Mood Media|publisher=moodmedia.com|access-date=January 25, 2014}}

• Lanza, Joseph . [http://www.press.umich.edu/titleDetailDesc.do?id=8718 Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak], University of Michigan Press, {{ISBN|978-0-472-08942-0}}
• [http://media.hyperreal.org/zines/est/articles/muzak.html Muzak] Article about elevator music
• [http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/04/10/060410fa_fact?printable=true The Soundtrack of Your Life] New Yorker Article
• [http://gillianweir.com/articles/english-language-articles/interview-on-music-muzak-noise-silence-and-thought/ Music, Muzak, Noise, Silence and Thought] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116015513/http://gillianweir.com/articles/english-language-articles/interview-on-music-muzak-noise-silence-and-thought/ |date=November 16, 2016 }}

{{Easy listening}}

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Category:Entertainment companies established in 1934

Category:Products introduced in 1934

Category:1937 mergers and acquisitions

Category:1981 mergers and acquisitions

Category:1986 mergers and acquisitions

Category:2011 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Brands that became generic

Category:Easy listening music

Category:Industrial music services

Category:Music companies of the United States

Category:Recorded music

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020

Category:Companies that have filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy