{"id":98421,"date":"2025-10-17T16:50:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T16:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2025\/10\/17\/can-music-influence-what-we-buy-to-find-out-i-dove-into-the-psychology-of-music\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T16:51:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T16:51:25","slug":"can-music-influence-what-we-buy-to-find-out-i-dove-into-the-psychology-of-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2025\/10\/17\/can-music-influence-what-we-buy-to-find-out-i-dove-into-the-psychology-of-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Can music influence what we buy? To find out, I dove into the psychology of music"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n

Within the first episode<\/a> of my Nudge<\/em> podcast, I interviewed the incredible psychologist Dr. Adrian North, who carried out one of many seminal studies<\/a> on the psychology of music.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Download<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Again in 1997, the researchers stocked an English grocery store with 4 kinds of French and German wines, all equally matched in price, dryness, and sweetness. For 2 weeks, the shop audio system both performed German oom-pah music or French accordion music. North and his colleagues would change the music each day and measure the impact on gross sales.<\/p>\n

Seems, 83% of wine patrons purchased French wine when the accordion music was enjoying, whereas 65% of patrons picked German bottles when the Bavarian music was on.<\/p>\n

North interviewed these patrons as they left the shop, however nobody claimed the music had an impact on their buy \u2014 but it clearly did.<\/p>\n

\"marketing<\/p>\n

Is the connection between music and shopping for conduct nonetheless related?<\/h2>\n

North\u2019s examine had some necessary outcomes, however it\u2019s value noting that this examine is nearly three many years outdated and has a comparatively small pattern dimension of simply 82 folks.<\/p>\n

So, are the findings nonetheless related as we speak?<\/p>\n

Effectively, in 2017<\/a>, researchers at Montclair State College discovered that enjoying Italian music in a college cafeteria elevated gross sales of their Italian dish (hen parmesan). When enjoying Spanish flamenco tunes, they elevated gross sales of paella.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear that music does appear to form what we purchase. And perhaps even what we need to eat?<\/p>\n

Certainly, throughout a latest journey to Paris, I couldn\u2019t assist however cease on the native boulangerie every morning for a espresso and croissant. Considering again, I spotted that they routinely performed French caf\u00e9-style music. Maybe that\u2019s what drew me in.<\/p>\n

What else can music affect? Seems, quite a bit \u2026<\/h2>\n

In his e-book Pre-Suasion<\/em>, Robert B. Cialdini writes that music made youngsters 3x extra probably to assist their friends. Equally, in Get It Completed<\/em>, Ayelet Fishbach shared how music can enhance fitness center reps by 50%. And Nick Kolenda\u2019s work in Think about Studying This E-book<\/em> exhibits that unhappy music makes thrilling life landmarks really feel additional away.<\/p>\n

But, the examine on music that\u2019s arguably most influential includes (extra) grocery store consumers.<\/p>\n

In Ronald E. Milliman\u2019s study<\/a> (aptly titled \u201cUtilizing Background Music to Have an effect on the Habits of Grocery store Customers\u201d), he monitored the stream of consumers as they navigated a grocery store within the southern U.S. Over 9 weeks, he discovered that clients spent 38% extra when sluggish music (60 BPM) was performed in comparison with quick music (108 BPM).<\/p>\n

\"marketing<\/p>\n

Milliman and his workforce concluded that the tempo of the music influenced the velocity of the consumers. In different phrases, a sluggish tempo slowed down the tempo of buying, giving the shoppers extra time to purchase. Compelling, proper?<\/p>\n

In his fantastic e-book Sensehacking<\/em>, Charles Spence desperately tried to seek out corporations which have utilized this perception into music and tempo (and had been prepared to speak about it).<\/p>\n

One of many few public examples is Chipotle.<\/p>\n

In line with Spence, Chipotle rigorously controls the tempo of the music in all of its 3,500+ shops. They intentionally play sooner music at busy instances of the day to hurry up their clients and shorten the lengthy strains.<\/p>\n

Chipotle\u2019s in-house DJ is quoted as saying, \u201cThe lunch and dinner rush have songs with larger BPMs as a result of we have to maintain the shoppers shifting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the quieter intervals, the shop performs slower tunes to maintain clients lingering and maintain the shop busy.<\/p>\n

So, the subsequent time you end up chomping down in your lunchtime burrito or reaching for that bottle of German wine, take a minute and ask your self: \u201cWhat music is enjoying proper now?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n