On the current 5,000-song playlist, one finds titles by the Gin Blossoms, Cocteau Twins, and Cowboy Junkies. The music is all on CD and hard disks, for one thing. We don't want to hear that again. Almost the real thing, anyway. In their Environmental Channel incarnations, songs' lyrics are replaced by soothing guitar lines or soft horn melodies.
Elevator music is dead.
As Muzak evolves, narrowing the gap between itself and popular music, it has become pop's doppelganger. But not quite. Herewith, an exploration of Muzak's parallel universe of pop. Whether you're a rocker, hummer, or hipster, you can take part in FEED's online discussions.