A new study of three supermarkets in Sweden found that on weekdays, customers spent an average of $23.31 per person when music played in the supermarkets compared to $14.96 per person when music was not playing.
When asked to rate their shopping experience, those who heard music rated the experience 8.8 percent higher than those who didn’t.
I open every school day with music as my students arrive. Each week I introduce a new musician or band and teach a little history about them as a part of our morning meeting.
Fleetwood Mac was quite the story.
But on Friday, we play a class playlist comprised of songs chosen by the kids. Typically more modern fare, but last year’s student-generated playlist included classical music, Pink Floyd, Rick Astley, and Carl Douglas’ “Kung Fu Fighting.”
Based on this Swedish study, maybe I should be playing music all day long. It would seem that music puts everyone in a better mood and makes people more willing to buy whatever is being sold.
In my case, I’m not selling rhubarb and canned tuna like those Swedish supermarkets. Instead, I’m mainly selling the development of a strong worth ethic, long-term thinking, empathy, organization, curiosity, creativity, a love for learning, and time management.
Along, of course, with all that content in an exceedingly bloated curriculum.
