What exactly is "the Starbucks sound"?

"Cash registers, sure," writes Mark Rahner. "And either savvy smoothness or easily palatable blandness, depending on who's doing the imbibing." Seventeen-year-old Sonya Kitchell's CD, "Words Came Back to Me," became Starbucks' second release in its "Hear Music Debut" series, sold in its coffee joints and in record stores nationwide. (Seattle Times)

Comments

[James the Barista]

You know you made it when your cd is in thousands of stores nationwide and is looked at by millions each day. No one goes into record stores anymore anyways.

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

I wouldn't say Alanis is that safe with the song "You Oughta Know." The Starbucks sound is very interesting because remmeber we also sold Sly and the Stone and the remix version. Also we sold Mary J. Blige and some other artists. Also, we have sold Coldplay and Dave Matthews at Starbucks. The music at Starbucks provides the background audio experience in Starbucks.

[Austin K.]

Ah the sounds of starbucks. "Can I get an eggnog latte without the milk?". If you haven't heard what steaming that sounds like, you're in for a treat.

[Steve]

I have XM radio. The Hear Music channel sucks. There was a time when the music playing in a Starbucks was pretty cool stuff, mostly west coast jazz, some old-tyme 40's stuff. Then they released a series of cds (supervised by Timothy Jones) and they were creatively packaged, great-sounding compilations. Now, they've sunk to this boring, BLAND, flavorless, contemporary, AOR mix. It's awful.

[Christopher Meisenzahl]

The sound of smug hybrid owners clicking away at their laptops? ;-)

Just kidding, I actually like the atmosphere in Starbucks.

[Jill]

OK, maybe I one of those middle-aged old farts that the Rolling Stone reviewer was referring to, but I love the Antigone Rising CD. Bought it at Starbucks -- just thought I'd try it. And loved it. Bought a second one to send to a friend of mine because I thought she'd like it, too. (She did.)

I never would have heard Antigone Rising on the radio. Never would have seem in concert, probably. And I never would have picked up their music online or in a music store. For $12.99 or whatever it was at Starbucks, I thought the group looked interesting. And the live CD has some kick. Where's that Rolling Stone reviewer? Maybe I'll aim a kick his way.

[CuteBarista!]

antigone rising is half-baked bad granola rock. just my opinion, though.

the music is, in general, very bad, save an occasional Radiohead song or two. try listening to it straight for 8 hours...i know they're long play cds, but once i hear it over 3 times, it's time to stab my ears out.

[Sheri]

I agree with Jill. I like the Antigone Rising cd.
I'm also glad that Starbucks is also promoting country music now- "Rascal Flatts," soon "Dixie Chicks"

i honestly will change tracks when we start playing country crap in our stores.
everytime. i will march my butt to the back and skip the track... whatever it takes to maintain my sanity in the redneck town i live in. i'm really sick of the music we've been playing. i'm already completely over the prince stuff and i think if i hear anymore latin anything i will vomit in your mocha. gag.

[Kidwag]

I tottaly aggree that are music cna be REALLY painful to listne to as a partner

[lotro gold]

I tottaly aggree that are music cna be REALLY painful to listne to as a partner