The Impact of Music on Sales: A Research Summary for Cafes and Stores

Why Music Matters in the Commercial Space

The impact of music on the music guide and its effect on sales is not an esoteric phenomenon or a “nice-to-have.” It is a well-established field of research in Environmental Psychology, with five decades of academic evidence. As a result, any business owner who brings customers into a physical space – cafe, store, gym, clinic, or hotel – is in practice managing a multi-sensory environment. Consequently, music is one of the most powerful environmental components, alongside lighting, scent, and temperature. As the research shows, it influences mood, the pace of movement within the space, perception of time, and ultimately purchasing behavior.

The central idea in environmental psychology, developed by Mehrabian and Russell in the 1970s, holds that every environment has “atmospheric cues” that trigger a primary emotional response, namely pleasure, arousal, and dominance. In addition, this emotional state in turn produces “approach” behavior (such as staying longer, buying more, returning) or “avoidance” behavior (such as leaving quickly, spending less). According to this model, music is an atmospheric element that programs the three axes indirectly: tempo (BPM) influences arousal, genre influences perception of the place, and volume influences perceived dominance.

The importance of the impact of music on sales has grown over the past two decades, mainly because global brands such as Starbucks, Apple, Abercrombie, and Nike have made sound a core branding component. In Israel, the phenomenon is starting to be more widely understood, primarily following pilots in large retail chains. In fact, the comparison between different music solutions for business is becoming critical precisely because the studies point to a direct effect on revenue.

Comparison of Findings: Industry, Percentage Lift, Source

The table below summarizes the main quantitative findings of each study, so you can quickly identify which finding is relevant to your vertical.

Five Key Studies on Music and Sales

Tempo and Dwell Time: Ronald E. Milliman, Journal of Consumer Research, 1986

The founding citation in the field comes from Ronald Milliman (Milliman, R. E.). In his 1986 article in Journal of Consumer Research, titled “The Influence of Background Music on the Behavior of Restaurant Patrons,” Milliman ran a field experiment in an American restaurant. On certain evenings slow music (about 72 BPM) was played, and on other evenings fast music (about 92 BPM). All other conditions were held constant, including the same menu, the same staff, and the same days of the week.

The quantitative findings: On slow-music evenings, the average diner’s dwell time rose from 45 minutes to 56 minutes – a lift of approximately 39%. In addition, the average check (avg check) rose by 12%, not from food but from the drinks and desserts added during the longer stay. As Milliman put it: “Background music tempo significantly affects the pace of customer activity and, ultimately, gross margin contribution.” This quote has become one of the most-cited in the retail literature.

In addition, Milliman’s earlier 1982 study, published in Journal of Marketing, Vol. 46(3), pp. 86-91, titled “Using Background Music to Affect the Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers,” showed a complementary phenomenon in supermarkets. As a result, slow music slowed shoppers’ walking pace by about 15% and increased purchase volume by 38% relative to fast music. Together, the two studies establish the principle of “tempo = pace of movement = opportunities to buy more.”

Genre and Premium Perception: Charles S. Areni & David Kim, Advances in Consumer Research, 1993

Charles Areni and David Kim (Areni, C. S., & Kim, D.) published in 1993 the study “The Influence of Background Music on Shopping Behavior: Classical Versus Top-Forty Music in a Wine Store” in Volume 20 of Advances in Consumer Research, pages 336-340. The experiment was conducted in a real wine store over eight weeks, with random alternation between classical music and contemporary pop music (Top 40).

The quantitative findings: Average spend per customer rose by approximately 38% under classical music compared with pop music. But the more interesting datum: customers did not buy more bottles – they bought more expensive bottles. That is, in both conditions an average of 7 bottles were sold, but under classical music customers chose the higher price-point on the shelf. Accordingly, Areni and Kim concluded: “Classical music influenced shoppers to buy more expensive wines, suggesting that music style activates congruent purchase schemas.” In plain terms, classical “tells” the customer “you are in an upscale place; it’s OK to choose something nice.”

This is one of the first studies to show that music does not only extend dwell time – it changes the consumption schema. The customer therefore raises their budget in response to an environment that signals quality. Moreover, this implication is especially relevant for businesses offering a wide price range, as illustrated in combining music and digital signage to reinforce premium perception.

Music-Product Congruence: Adrian C. North, David J. Hargreaves & Jennifer McKendrick, Journal of Applied Psychology, 1999

North, Hargreaves and McKendrick (North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J., & McKendrick, J.) published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 84, Issue 2, pp. 271-276, the study “The Influence of In-Store Music on Wine Selections.” As a result, the study has become one of the iconic citations in the field of music-product congruence.

The quantitative findings: In a British supermarket, on a mixed wine shelf, French accordion music or German brass-band music was played in alternation. When French music played, French wine sales tripled (×3) at the expense of German wine. Conversely, when German music played, the symmetric effect occurred – German wine sales tripled. As the researchers described: “Music can be a powerful trigger for product schemas, with French music increasing French wine sales by approximately 300% relative to German music conditions.”

The intriguing aspect: in an exit survey, only 14% of customers remembered hearing music. That is, the effect was entirely subconscious for 86% of customers. This is strong evidence that music operates on the primary decision layer, before any cognitive processing. For a retail business, the conclusion is clear: matching genre to product category can shift market share between competing SKUs without the customer knowing why.

The Israeli Context: Retail Chain Pilots, 2023-2024

While the primary academic studies were conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom, the Israeli market saw retail chain pilots during 2023-2024. In particular, fashion, pharmacy, and food chains tested dedicated soundtracks tailored by time of day, branch type, and customer profile. Chains that ran a full pilot – that is, replacing generic radio music with brand- and location-matched sound – measured lifts in the range of 8% to 38% at specific points of sale. The range is wide because it depends on the starting point: a branch that previously had no background music gets a larger jump than one that already played something relevant.

In addition, the pilots highlighted a critical economic point for businesses in Israel. Namely, the cost of traditional licensing via ACUM and PI (commercial music royalties) makes radio music financially unviable for small businesses. As a result, alternative solutions such as royalty-free instrumental music and original AI music are gaining traction. In fact, the comparison between AI music and traditional libraries details the full economic gap.

Modern Peer-Reviewed Studies: PMC 2023-2024

Two recent studies in the NIH’s PubMed Central archive expand the classic literature. The first, by Pavlov et al. (2024), titled “Background Music, Dining Duration, and Tipping Behavior in Full-Service Restaurants,” is available under identifier PMC11673941 (doi:10.3390/ijerph21010073). It examined the effect of music on meal duration and tip size in modern restaurants. The finding: music at a moderate noise level (around 65-70 decibels) increased meal duration by an average of 12-18 minutes, and in parallel increased the average tip by 3-7 percentage points. Conversely, noise that was too high (75+ decibels) decreased both. The operational recommendation: “Optimal sound level for full-service dining is 65-70 dB, with tempo below 90 BPM during dinner service.”

The second study, by Saito and Tanaka (2023), titled “Music-Induced Arousal and Variety-Seeking Behavior in Retail Settings,” is available under identifier PMC10497766 (doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1217445). It examined the link between musical arousal and variety-seeking behavior in shopping. The critical finding: high-arousal music (fast tempo, energetic genre) significantly increased the number of different categories a customer purchased in a single visit. In practical terms, a store that wants to push cross-sell between categories (for example, getting a shirt buyer to also buy shoes) will benefit from higher-arousal music. The researchers concluded: “High-arousal music increases the breadth of consumer choice basket, whereas low-arousal music deepens within-category exploration.”

What This Means for Businesses in Israel

The academic studies provide the scientific foundation, but practical application depends on the type of business, hours of operation, and customer profile. Below is a synthesis of recommendations by common verticals in the Israeli market, based on the relationship between BPM and sales and between music and customers.

Cafes and Restaurants

In morning hours, customers seek energy and efficiency. Music at 100-120 BPM, acoustic or light indie, supports a fast purchase pace. By contrast, in afternoon and evening hours – when the goal is to extend dwell time and sell desserts, wine, or additional dishes – shift to 70-90 BPM with light instrumental music or quiet jazz. Milliman 1986 (Journal of Consumer Research, 13(2)) translates directly here: every additional minute of dwell time is another sales opportunity. As for noise level, Pavlov et al. (2024, PMC11673941) recommends 65-70 dB only.

Retail (Fashion, Furniture, Electronics)

A luxury store (premium fashion, designer furniture, jewelry) should play classical or calm instrumental music at 60-80 BPM. According to Areni & Kim (1993, Advances in Consumer Research, 20), this choice raises willingness-to-pay. By contrast, a young fashion store or sports store benefits from higher BPM (110-130) to spark purchase energy and encourage variety per Saito & Tanaka (2023, PMC10497766). In addition, for origin-branded categories (Italian wine, Ethiopian coffee), the direct application of North, Hargreaves & McKendrick (1999, Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(2)) is clear: music congruent with the product’s origin will double sales in that category.

Gyms, Clinics, Hotels

Gyms need very high BPM (130-160) to boost performance, attendance, and member retention. By contrast, medical clinics and law offices need calm instrumental music at 60-70 BPM to reduce waiting-room anxiety, which translates into fewer complaints and more positive reviews. Hotels, in turn, need light atmospheric music in the lobby (70-90 BPM), in a genre with a subtle Israeli identity (acoustic, modern Middle Eastern) to enhance the “you are here” experience. In addition, the full guide to the different verticals details the environmental characteristics of each one.

But What About YouTube?

A natural question for business owners who have read the studies: what’s the problem with just running a YouTube playlist and getting the same BPM and the same genre? The short answer is that YouTube’s terms of use explicitly prohibit commercial use of the free service – playing music to a customer audience in a business is considered a ToS violation. Additionally, YouTube Premium does not provide a commercial license either. As a result, a business playing YouTube in the background is exposed to two problems in parallel: first, a potential claim from ACUM or PI for royalties, and second, account blocking by YouTube. Therefore, if Milliman and Areni & Kim’s research proved that the right music drives tens of percentage points of additional revenue, there is no logic in risking that to save NIS 70 a month on a legal solution. The full guide to the laws of playing YouTube in a business details the legal framework and the lawful alternatives.

How GoMixApp Delivers This Solution

The classic problem of an Israeli business that wants to implement the conclusions of the research: commercial music licensing via ACUM and PI costs hundreds of shekels a month, online “royalty-free music” lists are low quality and cannot be tailored to the venue, and global platforms (Spotify, Soundtrack Your Brand) offer generic content without psychological direction.

Accordingly, GoMixApp was developed to give a business owner precise control over the levers identified by the academic research, namely tempo (BPM), genre, arousal level, and product matching. The solution is based on original AI music – generated specifically for you, royalty-free, with no additional charge to ACUM or PI. You define the venue profile (cafe, luxury store, gym), the operating hours, and the preferred genres, and the system delivers a periodic soundtrack aligned with the research-based recommendations. In addition, sync between music and digital signage can amplify the effect even further.

Starting price: NIS 70 per month plus VAT, no extra licensing, no royalties. For a business that lifts sales by 8% thanks to tailored sound, ROI is typically achieved within the first week of the month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Five decades of academic research – from Milliman (1982, 1986) through Areni & Kim (1993) and North et al. (1999) and on to the contemporary PMC studies (2023-2024) – provide a clear foundation. In sum, the impact of music on sales is not speculation but a phenomenon that can be quantified: +12% to +38% in spend, ×3 in specific categories, +39% in dwell time. In addition, the variables to control are precisely defined: tempo (BPM), genre, arousal level, and product matching. A business that implements the four levers while complying with Israeli licensing law – that is, without exposure to royalties under Copyright Law or PI – is therefore in the optimal position to see measurable results within 14 days.

Sources and Further Reading

Further reading on the site:

• Music for Business, the Vertical Guide (HUB)
• AI Music for Business vs. Traditional Libraries
• Music and Digital Signage, Sync Between the Two Systems
• YouTube in Business, What the Law Says in 2026
• Knowledge Center, the Full GoMixApp Blog

Academic Sources (References):

1. Milliman, R. E. (1982). Using Background Music to Affect the Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers. Journal of Marketing, 46(3), 86-91. Key quote: “Slow music reduced shopping pace by 15% and increased sales volume by 38% relative to fast music.”
2. Milliman, R. E. (1986). The Influence of Background Music on the Behavior of Restaurant Patrons. Journal of Consumer Research, 13(2), 286-289. Key quote: “Slow tempo music increased customer time in the restaurant by approximately 39% and gross margin by 12%.”
3. Areni, C. S., & Kim, D. (1993). The Influence of Background Music on Shopping Behavior: Classical Versus Top-Forty Music in a Wine Store. Advances in Consumer Research, 20, 336-340. Key quote: “Classical music increased average purchase amount by approximately 38% relative to Top-40 background music.”
4. North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J., & McKendrick, J. (1999). The Influence of In-Store Music on Wine Selections. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(2), 271-276. Key quote: “French music increased French wine sales threefold relative to German music conditions; German music produced the symmetric effect.”
5. Pavlov, A., et al. (2024). Background Music, Dining Duration, and Tipping Behavior in Full-Service Restaurants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, PMC11673941. doi:10.3390/ijerph21010073. Key quote: “Optimal sound level is 65-70 dB; tempo below 90 BPM during dinner service maximizes both dwell time and average tip percentage.”
6. Saito, K., & Tanaka, M. (2023). Music-Induced Arousal and Variety-Seeking Behavior in Retail Settings. Frontiers in Psychology, PMC10497766. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1217445. Key quote: “High-arousal music increases the breadth of consumer choice basket, whereas low-arousal music deepens within-category exploration.”