Sunday, February 22, 2009

Grocery store playlists

A few days ago, while exiting a nearby Fry's, Supertramp started playing. This wouldn't have been worthy of note except that it wasn't "Give a Little Bit" or any of the other songs that get regular radio play. It was "Dreamer."

Dunno if "Dreamer" qualifies as obscure -- it hit the top 10 back in 1974 -- but it's definitely the first time I've heard it in a supermarket.

Then, today, Whole Foods played David Gilmour's "There's No Way Out of Here." I'm fairly certain I've never heard Gilmour in any grocery store, with or without Pink Floyd.

Could this be a trend?

And if so, is it happening because big corporate grocery stores are beginning to embrace better music? Or because classic rock has somehow become more nonthreatening to the shopping public?

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