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Should we pipe music into the London Underground?


  3. mischabarrett
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The Victoria line pumps 'masterpieces from the canons of classical music' at its passengers every day, ostensibly to reduce crime and relax irate customers. The Guardian arts blog comments, 'it's the same kind of social engineering that makes Top Shop play dance music at high-volume and high-speed to make you buy faster, quicker, and more; or that lulls you supposedly into an oasis of calm, as Vivaldi's Four Seasons chimes down the phone as you wait to speak to an airline, bank, or credit card company - something that tends to have the opposite effect.' More at the link.

Would you like your public transport to have music pumped into it? And if so, what sort? I think some jazz would go down quite well on the no. 73 to Islington ...
mischabarrett

19 responses // Should we pipe music into the London Underground?

  • I am sure classical music would make some people very aggressive. Just because it is part of the canon does not mean everyone actually enjoys it; given that there is no musical consensus, I think it would be better not to play any music at all.
    JanaPokana
  • i think if it's played softly enough, it's a good thing. but, if it's meant to catch your focus, then.. it's not a good thing. if it's only there to be in the background, then, great. i say go for it. i think it's a good idea.
    benzzy
  • http://photos23.flickr.com/34681675_665e429e3b.jpg
    I'd love to hear some tunes on the tube. I'd like it even more if I could listen to tunes and still drink alcohol on the tube - it'd be like a party train all the way to central London.
    mattbrawn
  • As someone who uses Brixton station daily, I like hearing the music. It can raise your mood. However, I'm not sure pushing it to everyone and all areas would work, would it not just become irritating?
    Beta_Boy
  • this Guardian blogger clearly hasn't been in Topshop recently. It's all cool indie and cool electro now. The aim probably not being to make you buy quicker, faster, etc but to make you feel cool and so buy into a cool brand.

    As for music on the tube. I've always got my own music on anyway. I don't need this
    Ben_Traffic_UK
  • No no no no no... All that's going to happen is that the same pieces will go on loop so often it's going to turn into the soundtrack of commuter hell, both killing the music and annoying the commuters.

    Having saing that, Kilburn Park station plays classical music quite regularly from its speakers, which seems to have improved the station in terms of crime, etc (though that's only a feeling), though it feels wrong to have them actually on the trains or *all* platforms.
    purplefox
  • I like the classical tunes that sometimes go down at Tooting Broadway!
    TheWogans
  • There's already classical music piped at Clapham Common tube and it makes the walk through the dirty dingy tunnels more enjoyable and calming I think!
    emmahill
    1 response to this
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZD66-RaBCI
    Yes Please. Dutch Gabba music @ 7am every Monday.
    Mr_Costello
    2 responses to this
  • you wouldnt be able to hear most of it anyway

    and i doubt theres any music that even a majority of people would like
    Joe_Leo
  • Half the time you spend trying to blank out the tingy hiss of beats from the deaf person beside you with their iPod volume ramped up enough to make their eyes bleed.

    I doubt the current audio hardware can reproduce blissful compositions that we all could enjoy as it can't even carry basic audible human voice.
    Purdey
  • As someone else who uses Brixton station daily, I wish they wouldn't play music. I don't really want to be hearing Aryan marching band tunes first thing in the morning.

    I don't know if it stops 'yoof' hanging around inside the station (I imagine the CCTV would stop that), but it's still an assault on my ears.

    And I worry for the sanity of the people who have to work there all day...
    Simon_S
  • music in the background at public places is relaxing and calming.
    Brockie
  • Why not play calming classical tunes on the tube? I like the stations that do it already, though I don't have to travel through them twice a day so I guess I don't know if it gets irritating... But if the music's quiet enough it doesn't have to bother anyone, and a little quiet classicism can be a peaceful way to start the day. But I suppose I would say that, what with having a cello and a pony and all. Maybe the choice of choons should be put to a London-wide vote? Ahh, but Londoners are the folks who voted in Bumbling Bastard Boris. They obviously can't be trusted!
    LindseyIndigo
  • People make a living studying the effects of music on the human brain...I know none of it however...

    I believe most people would not notice at all. If you get an opportunity, read the Washington Post article, "Pearls Before Breakfast". It's a fascinating psychological/sociological experiment related to this topic, but with a special, live musician...and the effects of music in the tube.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
    lochaven
  • They should install a voting system - as you get on platform. Then the system could play a mix based upon the most requested genres. You could have classical followed by punk then pop.

    Also, lochaven's link above is worth checking out.
    john_do

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