Sweet, shrill strains of the "Charlie Brown Christmas" choir lilt over racks of sweaters and scarves at the Gap Kids store at a local mall.
The tune is familiar. But the hip-hop dance beat simmering underneath is decidedly new.
Kyle Susral pauses from straightening a few hangers during a recent evening in the Gap Kids store and glances toward the overhead speakers.
"I've worked here for 12 years," she says, "so I think I've heard it all."
Susral doesn't mind the piped-in playlist, but she reserves higher praise for other stores around town, notably Lowe's home-improvement store and the discount retailer T.J. Maxx.
"I love their music. I could stay there forever," she says.
Love it or hate it, retail workers and holiday shoppers can thank Muzak for what they hear in stores. The South Carolina-based firm has reinvented itself to cater to retailers' increasingly precise requests for holiday tunes.
With updated satellite technology and access to the songs people hear on the radio, Muzak's "audio architects" tailor playlists for businesses' target demographics.
At LensCrafters, for example, the mix aims for "inspired confidence" by selecting artists "who communicate assurance and independence." The next time you shop for eyeglasses, listen for Sting and Norah Jones.
Red Lobster's music creates "an idealized beachcomber experience" that "embraces customers and makes them feel cared for and loved." Translation: Sade, Santana, and a big, buttery helping of Marvin Gaye.
For the holidays, Muzak offers two additional winter programs: a secular "Holiday" package and a non-secular "Christmas" catalog that "reflects a growing desire amongst some audiences to hear the carols of their childhood," according to muzak.com.
To get a head start on this year's yuletide mix, audio architect Steven Pilker started creating playlists as early as July.
Remixes have become the next big thing. DJs spin out lounge or techno beats under golden oldies, ushering in a groovier Bing Crosby or, in the case of Gap Kids, Charlie Brown's hip-hop twin.
"There's not a huge pool of holiday songs to choose from, so remixes really stick out," says Pilker, who has helped shape holiday Muzak for the last five years. "It's kind of cool because it gives new life to older songs."
