How to Curate a Retail Holiday Playlist Shoppers (and Staff) Will Actually Enjoy
by Broox Carmona, Music Producer
The morning after Thanksgiving always brings a noticeable shift for retail brands — suddenly the holiday season is here and it’s felt instantly. As shoppers start heading back into stores, brands have a real opportunity to make the experience feel intentional, not just another errand to-do-list. One of the easiest, most effective ways to tap into that multisensory layer and build emotional connection is through music and sound.
Holiday music can be magical and great for getting customers in the spirit, but it can also wear thin, especially for staff who hear the same few songs on loop. On the other hand, a recent Mood Music study found that 41% of shoppers actually spend more time in stores because of the holiday ambiance, and only 6% say it drives them out.
Here’s the difference: when curated with intention and executed thoughtfully, music becomes a meaningful and impactful part of a retailer’s in-store strategy — keeping shoppers engaged and leaving them with that warm, fuzzy feeling rather than overwhelmed.
We’ve outlined a few tips to curate a retail holiday playlist that can elevate your brand by using holiday music effectively.
1. Stay True to Your Brand (and Customers)
Every brand has its own vibe and personality which can be elevated through music and playlists. The right playlist has the power to build atmosphere, enhance your brand experience and echo back your values, key attributes and personality. Even with Christmas music, which has infiltrated every genre and style out there. Classic tunes and instrumental might be a better fit for traditional luxury brands. Pop Christmas or modern remakes might be a better fit for a Gen Z brand. It would be wise to serve this audience in particular:
“A consumer study conducted by Mastercard showed that Gen Z is the most likely to shop in physical stores this holiday season — 91% of them, in fact.”
But no matter your audience, the bottom line is to stay true to your brand vibe, even when it’s the holiday shopping season.
2. Use Music to Enhance the Experience
Music should not make up the entirety of your in-store journey, but should be used to enhance the overall experience. Think about music and sound as complimentary to a roader multisensory experience and not just as a layer or an add-on or something that you need to have pumping through your overhead speakers. Try to identify how your brand can create a distinct experience that could only come from your brand, and no one else. Maybe it’s using your sonic logo with a holiday flair. Or using pine tree or vanilla scent in store to smell like the season. Whatever it is, music should be a component that complements, not owns the entire Christmas experience.
3. Have a Silent Night
While keeping with a brand vibe is important, it’s also crucial to have moments of quiet weaved in throughout the playlist. Maybe you mix in some instrumental compositions, or more ambient tracks that still capture the spirit of the season. This sonic white space offers shoppers a subtle change of pace that can be perceived as calm or a sanctuary in the craziness of holiday shopping, increasing linger time and even purchases.
On the flip side, songs with a faster tempo can be used to move lines faster, or the perception that they are moving faster, which can be beneficial for rushes in the checkout lane.
“Research has shown that when played overhead in-store, slower tempo music yielded higher sales than faster tempo music. ”
4. Mix It Up
Any playlist on a loop that repeats over and over again can seem nightmarish for the employees and the shoppers that may be trapped hearing songs for a second time. That audio cue is an automatic sign to get out of the store immediately, that they have outstayed their welcome.
Instead, build a playlist that includes day-parted schedules and a cadence of frequent updates. No one day (or hour for that matter), week or month is the same for shoppers and employees. Even each part of the day — from morning to afternoon to evening — sees a range of energy levels and behaviors from customers.
With the help of music curation experts, you can build an on-brand strategy that adapts to time of day, store occupancy level and energy levels. And a healthy mix of holiday and non-holiday tunes help keep things fresh too.