Background music is no longer an afterthought at many airports, which are hiring local musicians and carefully curating playlists to help .

built a stage to showcase emerging British performers for the first time this summer. The program was so successful the airport hopes to bring it back in 2025. has five stages that host more than 800 performances per year, from country musicians to jazz combos. , Punta Cana International Airport greets passengers with live merengue music.

Tiffany Idiart and her two nieces were delighted to hear musicians during a recent layover at .

B次元官网网址淚 like it. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of people here and they can all hear it,B次元官网网址� said Grace Idiart, 9. B次元官网网址淚f their flight got delayed or something like that, they could have had a hard day. And so the music could have made them feel better.B次元官网网址�

Airports are also carefully curating their recorded playlists. Detroit Metro Airport plays hits in a tunnel connecting its terminals. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas has a playlist of local artists compiled by an area radio station. SingaporeB次元官网网址檚 Changi Airport commissioned a special piano accompaniment for its giant digital waterfall.

Music isnB次元官网网址檛 a new phenomenon in airport terminals. B次元官网网址淢usic for Airports,B次元官网网址� an album released in 1978, helped define the ambient music genre. ItB次元官网网址檚 minimalist and designed to calm.

But Barry McPhillips, the head of international creative for Mood Media, which provides music for airports and other public spaces, said technology is enabling to be less generic and more tailored to specific places or times of day.

Mood Media B次元官网网址� formerly known as Muzak B次元官网网址� develops playlists to appeal to business travelers or families depending on whoB次元官网网址檚 in the airport at any given time. It might program calmer music in the security line but something more energizing in the duty-free store.

B次元官网网址淲e see it as a soundscape,B次元官网网址� McPhillips said. B次元官网网址淲e design for all of these moments.B次元官网网址�

ThereB次元官网网址檚 a science to Mood MusicB次元官网网址檚 decisions on volume, tempo, even whether to play a song in a major key versus a minor one, he added.

B次元官网网址淗ow do we want to affect their mood at that moment?B次元官网网址� McPhillips said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just like, B次元官网网址楬ereB次元官网网址檚 a load of songs.B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 a load of songs for that 10-minute segment, and then we move to the next 10 minutes.B次元官网网址�

At the same time, many airports are going low-tech, hiring local musicians to serenade travelers and give them a sense of the place theyB次元官网网址檙e passing through.

ChicagoB次元官网网址檚 OB次元官网网址橦are and Midway airports have more than 100 live performances each year. PhoenixB次元官网网址檚 Sky Harbor International Airport began a live music program five years ago and now has two stages featuring local artists.

Tami Kuiken, the manager of airport music in Seattle, said the Seattle-Tacoma airport launched its live music program about a decade ago after a city commissioner heard live music at the airport in .

B次元官网网址淭he idea was like, B次元官网网址橫an, why doesnB次元官网网址檛 Seattle have music? WeB次元官网网址檙e a music city too,B次元官网网址� Kuiken said.

At first, the airport created a playlist featuring emerging artists along with famous ones like . Then it decided to try live musicians for a 12-week trial. It was so successful that the airport now features live musicians daily and is building new performance spaces.

B次元官网网址淧eopleB次元官网网址檚 anxiety levels are very high when theyB次元官网网址檙e traveling,B次元官网网址� Kuiken said. B次元官网网址淭he feedback that we started getting was that once they got through the checkpoint and they were greeted with music, all of a sudden their anxiety and stress levels dropped.B次元官网网址�

The programs also benefit musicians, who get paid to perform and gain wider exposure. When Colorado Springs Airport announced a live music program in March, more than 150 musicians applied. It now hosts two two-hour performances each week.

David James, a singer and guitarist who plays at SeattleB次元官网网址檚 airport about once a week, said waking up in time for a daytime gig took some adjustment. But heB次元官网网址檚 gained new fans from all over the world.

B次元官网网址淚 get really sweet responses from people all the time, saying, B次元官网网址楾hat was so soothing to be able to just sit and listen to music in between flights,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� James said. B次元官网网址淪o it feels like itB次元官网网址檚 especially therapeutic for people.B次元官网网址�

Country stars like and have come through NashvilleB次元官网网址檚 airport and interacted with local musicians, said Stacey Nickens, the airportB次元官网网址檚 vice president of corporate communications and marketing. Shelton even gave one his guitar.

Otto Stuparitz, a musicologist and lecturer at the University of Amsterdam who has studied airport music, said airports should think carefully about their selections. Music thatB次元官网网址檚 meant to be actively listened to B次元官网网址� like live music or catchy pop songs B次元官网网址� can be very distracting in an already chaotic environment, he said. He has noticed some airports B次元官网网址� especially in Europe B次元官网网址� turning off piped melodies altogether.

But McPhillips said big spaces like airports can feel cold and unwelcoming without background music.

B次元官网网址淎 well-crafted audio strategy is one that people arenB次元官网网址檛 particularly cognizant of,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hey just know theyB次元官网网址檙e having a good time and that itB次元官网网址檚 appropriate.B次元官网网址�