Music Recommendations - Must have Coffee Bar CD's
hey everyone. I thought it would be fun to start a thread where we can all list bands and CD's that are great for coffee bar atmosphere's. I'll start with a few favorites:
Sam Prekop - Who's Your New Professor
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Peter Bjorn & John - Writers Block
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
- Matt
Sam Prekop - Who's Your New Professor
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Peter Bjorn & John - Writers Block
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
- Matt
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Cannon on
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Jay, your point is well taken about creating and maintaining an appropriate musical identity within your shop. Whatever that may be.
But you're losing me when you suggest the barista shouldn't have a hand in creating that atmosphere. Work closely with your ownership, fellow barista, and faithful patrons to define what best befits your shop. Define acceptable parameters and work within them.
It's a small responsibility of prudence. I think we can handle it.
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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Corcoran on
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Extra Golden-Hera Ma Nono
Fleet Foxes-Fleet Foxes
Dr. Dog- We All Belong
Broken Social Scene-Self-Titled, well actually all of them.
Motown Does the Beatles
Cat Power- You Are Free
Midlake-The Trials of Van Occupanther
Cut Copy-Bright Like Neon
Anything containing the Funk Brothers.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Dominy on
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Hey Calhoon, I definitely second the Mute Math, and it seems very coffeehouse friendly for any time of the day, nothing too crazy, but sho is good. One of my favorite bands.
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Permalink Reply by Alex Galt on
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I love our staff, but I regard the choice of music akin to the choice of furniture & other things effecting atmosphere. I've taken musical selections out of their hands. Some of them would do a good job, but not all of them. So I've adopted the iPod on/off policy, on at opening, off at closing. And it works great, and it's very fair. I want the shop to be the kind of place that everyone can enjoy, and I don't think that 50-something couples would enjoy coming in for dessert after a movie if we were playing Fugazi (and I say this as someone who loves Fugazi). I don't want to exclude them.
I've copied my list of musical selection of criteria from an earlier discussion of music in stores (from April) because I think that's relevant:
1. Avoid music that's overplayed, no Beatles, no Police, no Eagles, etc. Covers of this type of thing work very well. There's nothing wrong with this music, but it's played so frequently that it subconsciously makes your coffeehouse 'feel' ordinary. For example, instead of playing Ray Charles, play the people that used to tour with Ray Charles, like Sticks McGhee, Laverne Baker, etc.
2. Avoid music with strong dynamics, songs that begin softly with acoustic guitars and then erupt are very disruptive. Songs that are too loud (we used to play some Clash, but we've mostly eliminated it), or too quiet (most of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska).
3. Avoid live recordings. All that applause is disruptive.
4. Avoid music that pins you down. I remember a coffeehouse in Chicago that played mostly punk rock, while that didn't bother me, it did bother my then-girlfriend (now wife) and we never went there. It's now out of business. All country music, all hip-hop, all classical, etc. each of these will pin you down as a place for a distinct crowd and will make some people feel not as welcome.
5. Do play music that's good, but that doesn't have demographic associations. Pretty much everyone feels the same way about early blues (Robert Johnson, Blind Blake, the Mississippi Sheiks, etc.), early jazz (Sidney Bechet, Django Rheinhardt, etc.), Neo-Americana (the Be Good Tanyas, Old Crow, Jolie Holland, Madeleine Peyroux, Neko Case, etc.), old country (the Carter Family, Hank Williams, etc.), low-key indie rock (Iron & Wine, the National, Feist, Sufjan Stevens, etc.), various world musics, non-canonical songs by well known artists, etc. There's a lot of high quality music that most people just haven't heard much.
6. Add new music regularly. I hear most of the new music I buy on NPR. I subscribe to the All Songs Considered & NPR Music Podcasts, which are both wonderful.
7. Play local music. Joe's right about this. It's a cool feeling when you're talking to a local musician and one of their songs comes on. I usually buy (or am given) cds by local musicians and I like to have them on the playlist.
8. Play a variety and keep it on shuffle. If a customer hates something, they know that it will be gone in 2-4 minutes and the next song will be completely different. It might go from the Meters to Enrico Caruso to Charles Mingus to Gillian Welch - and that's perfect.
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Permalink Reply by Jay Lijewski (TacomaPenna) on
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Hey Mike,
I guess what I'm saying is that if you look at this thread, there is about 35 (or so) people replying. This number can represent the amout of people it would take to staff a 2 location coffee company (including part-time and fill-ins) AND including a handful of customers. So, let's say that all of us folks who replied work for or patron "Exchange Coffee" in Baristaville, USA. There is quite a mix of tastes here. If ownership let all of us play our favorites, it would be a mess.
Mike, pick your least favorite list from these replies. Now picture yourself working with that person everyday for 8 hours everyday. Work would kinda suck, huh? Not due to that persons personallity (they're probably an awesome person), work would suck because you had to suffer through a 2 hour set of DC Talk or whatever.
People make statements with music. I think that the musical statement of the business should be made by the person who started that business. If we as baristas support the beliefs and tastes of that shop owner, well then, we apply to work for them. If we don't, we stay away from that shop. The most succesful businesses have a clear indentity that attract like-minded individuals to support their clearly-defined mission.
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Jay, DC Talk? That's funny. They aren't even around anymore. (I say they aren't. I mean they aren't together as DC Talk. They all have semi-successful solo careers going, and I think out of the three, Kevin Max's newest CD is the closest to one that could be played in a shop.) But anyway, people should always know and respect their customers. And that includes music that fits the shop. Bottom line. Always be respectful of your customers. That's the Golden Rule. If the music you choose sets the tone for the shop, the environment that is created will either draw customers, or push them away. For me, it's a common sense thing.
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Permalink Reply by Brady on
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Yeah, I'd consider music and furniture selection to be in the same vein. It's pretty hard to relax when the selections make you uncomfortable. I can hear people thinking "lighten up, its just music"... but Jason, Jay and others hit it right on the head - it is about defining a shop identity and having your customers be happy.
I like the idea of having a little variation within the day - to reflect the changing customer base. The "approved iPod playlist" thing sounds good, perhaps a set of different playlists on the house machine that can be selected to match or influence the vibe in the shop. This to me seems to be a far better approach than just having whoever is on the bar plug in something random. Want to bring in something new? Run it by the manager/owner and get it put in the mix.
This has been a great thread to read. I have discovered that I apparently have zero indie cred - hadn't even HEARD of about 95% of the musicians listed. I have spent hours now looking up these bands on iTunes and emusic. There are some artists here that are really great discoveries for me, but there are also some that, if they were playing when I came in to your shop, would cause me to leave.
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Stuff I like in a shop mix, given an appropriate audience:
Charlie Hunter Trio - Friends Seen and Unseen
The Afromotive - Scare Tactics
Jeff Coffin (of Flecktones fame)
The Meters - Look-Ka Py-Py
Medeski, Martin and Wood (preferably with Scofield)
Spam Allstars - Contra Los Roboticos
Stanton Moore
OLD Aretha Franklin - Never Loved a Man (minus the popular singles)
Jack Johnson
The Wood Brothers
Sonny Rollins
(Alex, I'm going to print out a copy of your "music rules". That's it in a nutshell to me.)
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Permalink Reply by Aaron Reeves on
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This topic is maybe a little beaten to the ground at this point, but I have one additional comment. The shop where I work has live music six nights a week. (4 nights of pre-scheduled bands, one open mic, and one open-mic-ish music-only set.) The sheer variety of groups (and, subsequently, patrons) that come through is a bit overwhelming, and a "pre-approved" music list attempting to create a specific identity for our shop would simply not work. For instance, if all we had were low-key indie artists of the Sufjan Stevens/Neko Case/Fleet Foxes/Beirut variety (all of whom I love), our sunday night DJ EDM group would riot if, following two hours of loud, heavy electronica they packed up their turntables and heard nothing but acoustic guitars, banjo, and wispy vocals, although honestly that's what I would overwhelmingly prefer. When I'm working, I try to get a feel for the crowd and choose something accordingly. For my sunday-night EDMers, probably Cut Copy. Following an alt-country/bluegrass act, definitely Amy Millan and Sera Cahoone. For the twenty-something hipsters, I don't know, Vampire Weekend?
I guess I'm just trying to emphasize that there's not a single, universally appropriate solution that works for all shops.
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"The most succesful businesses have a clear indentity that attract like-minded individuals to support their clearly-defined mission". So true.
I'll never forget my first encounter with my cafe. The first thing that caught my attention was the portafilter handle on our doors, nice touch. The second element was the Arcade Fire playing in the background; my favorite band. I hadn't even passed the threshhold of the doorway and I was in love. I ordered a doppio and started chatting up the barista. We spoke of coffee and music, and by the end of my second doppio I was asking for a job.
This is the hope I have for every one of my customers. Be it with our fine coffee, a grand conversation, or an insatiable melody; the connection is what's important.
Alex, I'd consider allowing your employees to submit music selections to be added to your playlist. It's a simple way to maintain control of your music program, and it will help to empower your employees to some degree.
(Also, your list is well thought out and I appreciate you reposting it)
And Jay, I do know what you mean. Shuffle is a godsend.
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