Music has value. The work of musicians and other music creators benefits countless businesses across Canada and the rest of the world — including coffee shops. Many cafés select the music they play in their establishments, helping to draw customers inside. But the value musicians provide doesn’t end there. Here are five other ways that music helps cafés prosper:

 

1. Music Builds An Ambiance

There’s more to a coffee shop than just coffee. Creating the right atmosphere in a café can help to attract and retain customers — and music plays an important role in that. 86% of Ontarians say that music impacts a café’s ambiance, which means that the work of musicians and other music creators is contributing to the success of coffee shops all across the country.

 

2. Music Enhances Flavour

Music quite literally makes things taste better. Researchers at the University of Oxford have found that high-pitched sounds enhance sweet and sour flavours, while low-pitched sounds enhance bitter ones. According to the leader of the study, songs with a lot of low notes “seem to be the perfect complement to help bring out those bitter tastes in … coffee.”

 

3. Music Keeps Customers Happy

There is no doubt that Canadians like to hear music being played in cafés: 88% of them say so. But the satisfaction they derive from music in coffee shops goes even further than that. A recent study found that customers who consumed their food while listening to relaxing music under soft lighting enjoyed it more than those who didn’t.

 

4. Music Builds Brands

Music also helps cafés to establish their own identity, building a brand that creates affinity with customers. 75% of Canadians believe the music a business plays impacts their brand. And that, in turn, can help drive profits: 84% of Canadians think that playing the right music can be beneficial to a business.

5. Music Keeps Customers Coming Back

Playing the right music also helps to create an ongoing relationship between coffee shops and their customers. People who enjoy the music they hear while they sip their coffee are more likely to visit that same shop in the future. 72% of Canadians say they are more likely to return to a café that plays music they like.

 

You can learn more about the benefits music brings to coffee shops and other businesses — as well as other findings about the value of music on the Music Has Value website.

If you’re a music creator, you deserve fair compensation for your work. If your songs are being played by coffee shops or other businesses, you may be entitled to royalties. Learn more and search our database today.