Younger customers are demanding dynamic soundscapes in the spaces they visit, according to Tuned Global’s Con Raso. Here, the MD at the cloud music platform for businesses’ digital music projects outlines what background music providers and retailers need to know…
How often do you pay really close attention to the music playing in a store? For many shoppers, it’s a subtle background stimulant; hopefully pleasant but also unremarkable. However, for a growing segment of younger customers, sound increasingly shapes their experience of the space.
A thoughtful report was recently published by Storeplay, one of Australia’s background music providers, examining how Gen Z engages with physical retail environments. It is a strong piece of work and a reminder of how quickly customer expectations are shifting, particularly for younger audiences who are highly attuned to environment, mood and authenticity.
Reading it also prompted some reflection of my own. I have spent many years working with background music (BGM) providers, retailers and hospitality groups across the world, and the trends highlighted in Storeplay’s report mirror what I have been seeing first-hand.
The role of music in physical spaces is evolving quickly.
Below are a few observations drawn from both the research and my own experience helping organisations rethink what background music can and should do.
1. Music is no longer background, it is a brand signal
Gen Z responds emotionally to how a store feels, not just what it sells. Music is now a significant part of that impression. Across the clients I have worked with, the brands getting this right focus on creating intentional soundscapes rather than generic ambience.
We see this daily with BGM providers who curate playlists by industry, activity and time of day, and with brands that take curation seriously because they understand its influence on identity and dwell time.
In many BGM rollouts I have been involved in, this becomes the turning point. Once a brand recognises that sound is part of the customer journey, the conversation changes from background to experience design.
2. Static playlists do not match how younger audiences live
Storeplay’s report highlights an important behaviour. Gen Z expects dynamism, and they should. Their digital world adapts instantly.
When working with BGM clients over the years, we have had to rethink how infrastructure supports that expectation. This meant introducing features such as:
– Aggressive offline caching so the experience continues even when connectivity fails
– AutomixIQ, an AI engine that creates smooth transitions and consistent in-venue energy
– Tools that allow multi-site brands to shape music for each location while maintaining overall cohesion
These capabilities were not created for novelty, they emerged because physical environments increasingly need the same sense of freshness that Gen Z receives in their digital lives.
The challenge for retailers and hospitality groups is recognising that music deserves the same strategic attention as visual merchandising or store layout
Con Raso
3. AI audio ads are becoming part of how spaces communicate
One of the strongest ideas in recent years has been enabling stores to communicate in a way that feels timely, flexible and on-brand. This is why I began exploring the potential of AI-generated audio ads for BGM providers and venues.
Instead of booking a studio or waiting weeks for production, staff can type a short message and generate a natural-sounding ad that plays between tracks. We have been able to supercharge this process and go from idea to in-store audio delivery in 20 seconds.
This is particularly valuable for the long tail of retail and hospitality businesses that want professional, relevant in-store messaging without the overhead of traditional production.
4. The next evolution is linking audio messaging with POS activity
Another area I have been developing is the connection between audio and real-time retail behaviour. By pairing in-store messaging with POS data, it becomes possible to trigger ads automatically based on what is actually happening in the business.
If a product is selling quickly, the system can reinforce the momentum. If an item needs a push, a targeted message can help. If a café has excess stock late in the afternoon, an audio nudge can drive impulse sales.
This shifts BGM from a passive backdrop to an adaptive commercial tool that aligns with Gen Z’s appetite for immediacy and relevance.
5. Curation should be human-led and tech-supported
Across the providers I have worked with, the strongest results always come from a combination of human curation supported by robust technology. Modern BGM platforms are expected to provide:
– Playlist control by brand, venue or region
– Custom tagging by mood, activity or time of day
– Centralised oversight with local flexibility
– Automatic reporting to PROs and CMOs
– Catalogue filtering for regional licensing needs
This framework allows curators to do what they do best while meeting the operational expectations of modern retailers and hospitality groups.
6. The BGM industry is evolving and Gen Z is accelerating that change
The most important takeaway from Storeplay’s report, and my own work across global BGM projects, is simple. Sound is becoming a strategic differentiator.
Gen Z expects authenticity. They expect experiences that move with them, and they expect spaces to reflect how they feel. Music and in-store audio communication are central to that expectation.
What used to be background music is now a defining layer of brand identity.
A FINAL REFLECTION
I want to acknowledge Storeplay for producing a meaningful piece of research. It aligns closely with what many of us in the industry have been observing. Sound matters more than ever, and its role in shaping physical experiences continues to expand.
The infrastructure exists to deliver dynamic, context-aware audio experiences. The challenge for retailers and hospitality groups is recognising that music deserves the same strategic attention as visual merchandising or store layout.
Gen Z is accelerating this shift, but the principles apply across demographics. Customers increasingly expect environments that respond to them rather than treating them as passive recipients of ambience. The opportunity is significant for businesses willing to rethink how sound works in their spaces.
If you are a provider, retailer or venue exploring how to rethink your approach to music and audio, I am always happy to share what we are learning at Tuned Global. Above all, I hope this conversation continues, because the intersection of sound, experience and technology still has enormous potential ahead of it.