Stop by office in Southern California and you might think you just stepped into a Park Hyatt hotel or onto an Etihad flight.
My business partner John and I enjoy listening to music during the day. There are some songs and genres he likes and others that I like. But one we thing we agree on: we enjoy listening to select airline and hotel music that reminds us of our travels.
Songs like the Park Hyatt jingle:
Etihad boarding music:
and United’s take on Rhapsody in Blue:
Heck, one of our favorite things to listen to is the Lufthansa safety video:
Poor employees? The beauty of a Sonos system is that we can shut it out of their office and just play it in ours.
Don’t worry, that’s not the only thing we listen to it. But it strikes me as a testament to the power of marketing. These are just songs that subliminally play in the background: I do not even think about them at the time. Yet days later, I find myself humming them and searching YouTube for them.
So fess up: what is your favorite airline or hotel-related piece of music? Do you find yourself playing these tunes while in the office or at the gym?
I highly suggest the Virgin America boarding music. The full playlist is floating around online.
Definitely the Emirates boarding/advertising music
The Virgin America safety video music is one I like, although it’s long.
“Hi, I’m Greg and I like cheesy corporate music…” Nice to know I’m not alone. I had the LH tone sequence as my laptop startup sound for a long time.
I think my favorite actual “song” is the Sofitel house song “Reverie” by Haute:
Emirates boarding music is by far the best. Best word to describe it is majestic!
The Emirates Boarding music, I often have it on when I’m working. Also love the song from the Air New Zealand “summer of safety” video from last year, The River by Ladyhawke.
Whilst Down-Under for 6 months in 2000 working on the Games, I heard this one too many times – but I never got sick of it. I do prefer the 60-second edit of it, however:
@ Matthew — Hopefully you offer an EAP.
Ha!
Great post and question! “Red Baron” by Vince Guaraldi Trio. Ever since I was in my early 20s in Pasadena CA and started to fly in earnest (remember getting to LAX in your youth??). This whole album is fun and recorded in 60s stereo, so each channel (left vs. right) has completely different versions of every song.
That United “Rhapsody In Blue” takes me back to their wonderful heydays in the mid & late 90’s and my travels then. Good times.
These are all good. I like Rhapsody in Blue the best. I have a playlist on my phone called “Airplane Calming” which I will use at times when I’ve just boarded and need to unwind while others get on the plane. It includes Rhapsody in Blue as well as:
Stay Alive by Jose Gonzalez – The Walter Mitty song
Howling – The song from Taken 2 ending credits
Adagio in D Minor
Skyfall by Adele – Because I’m a 007 fan
Ain’t no Sunshine by Bill Withers
Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohen
Sirius by Alan Parsons Project
Love on a Real Train – Tangerine Dream (Risky Business song)
Desafindo by Ronnie Pleydell
The Natural by City of Prague Philharmonic (perfect for taxi on a widebody)
I Surrender by Hillsong United (from the Of Dirt and Grace album)
I Don’t Care about Winning, I Care About Playing by Gamica & Kenneth Bager
Africa by Toto
Crazy Love by Van Morrison
There is about 25 songs on there. Funny part is if I reach the end I know the boarding and ground delays are too long 🙂