The History of Elevator Music

[Xegethra]

i havent come accross many lifts with music in them. i guess because i dont go in many fancy buildings, or really use a lift. i will walk anything upto 9 floors i know that much. my college had 9 floors and when i needed to go all the way up or down i knew waiting for the lift would waste time

it was funny watching people waiting for like 10 minutes for a lift, when they get in...they only go up 3 floors. i walk the whole flight in about 2 or 3

[Xegethra]

@Xegethra the only times iv seen a lift with music in it has been on tv or something. iv probably been in about 2 lifts that had music in countless times i have used them

[TheRavenOfPoe]

@Xegethra I'm like you in that I take some mild amusement from people waiting for the lift twice as long as it would have taken them to walk up to the 2nd or 3rd floor where they are headed. Of course some people require the lift, but it is more often that I see young, fit people taking them. There's a great video on YouTube where a staircase was turned into a giant piano for people to walk up and make music in order to encourage people to walk rather than take the lift - it worked! :)

[Xegethra]

@TheRavenOfPoe yeah i can understand if they have to use it...

i did see that video, it did seem to work. although its a shame people have to be pushed too look after themselves -_-

[FuturesPassed]

If there was some sort of stairs music, I wonder what the psychological purpose for it would be, and what it would sound like. As I thought about it, I remembered there was a video game, Super Mario 64, that had a location with "endless" stairs, and it had its own music. It sort of had a jumpy pattern and it hit higher notes as it progressed. This gave you the feeling of going up, but there was only so far the music could go before it would have to go back down (restart the loop).

[FuturesPassed]

Putting aside the fact that some people would arrive at the stairs mid-loop, stairs are also not very enclosed structures, and in a building, anyone near the stairs would have to listen to "Up, up, up, up! restart. Up, up..." etc.

In places such as malls or hotels where the stairs are near places where people stand around in one place for a long time, it would probably get on people's nerves, reminding them of times where they work at something but keep needing to start from scratch.

[achigurh]

greatest elevator song ever: "The Girl from Ipanema"

..i think the music is still and will always be there because it takes away from the uncomfortable silence that would exist between strangers in small spaces.

A. Chigurh

[AidanTAKFW]

I would think that another reason there is no such thing as stair music is that the process of walking and stepping generally satisfies that minimum amount of stimulation that people generally are comfortable with. Whereas in an elevator, you're just standing and waiting

[MopGunZ93]

i think elevator music IS relaxing, maybe i had some deep rooted phobia of them when i was a child that i grew out of or something? i dno, but it makes me feel at ease :)

[MopGunZ93]

aww your hands are tiny :3

[TheRavenOfPoe]

@MopGunZ93 hehe

[sleedolfine15]

In an era when we all are plugged into our own personal sound track via ipods, cd players,etc. elevator music doubtless will become obsolete--Anyway, I like the way you think. You're smart,imaginitive and interesting. And it does'nt hurt that you're beautifully adorable.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

@sleedolfine15 Thank you :) And good point too, increasing numbers of people listen to their personal soundtrack with mp3 players now!

[MopGunZ93]

your a very interesting person :3

[MelleB90]

"I'd like to think about everything."

I can relate to that biiiig time!

[MelleB90]

I like*

[CelticGruntEnt]

bad accent!

[fatabass]

you are so cute!

[HarveyEspatchelowe]

Well, I love this video.

[MSIXVI06]

Stair music is not very cost-effective :P.

I think they put elevator music on because back in the day elevators were quite the extravagant contraptions - a luxury if you will in places like hotels and what-not. And thus the music would also add to this illusion of luxury to this claustrophobic box on weighted cables.

That's just theory- which makes me wonder, was yours factual or just theory as well?

[TheRavenOfPoe]

With the bit of research I did it all came to the conclusion that it was for the reason I said in the video that it was to calm people who were to ride in the noisy contraption that elevators used to be. But it is not firm enough to be called fact, and I wonder if it was perpetuated for other reasons and why it is less frequent these days. I think these days your theory might be right in that it is found in more luxiourious elevators - fancy hotels and such, hehe

[MSIXVI06]

well, there is a lack of elevator music in lets say... cheapish apartments and other places not too concerned with commerce.

I should know - I was born in a place where elevators are the second most common mode of transport to escalators. That being Hong Kong - elevator music is somewhat the standard in commercial contexts there.

But here in Australia - I don't think they're too bothered unless it IS in a hotel or in... lets say David Jones :P.

[jackkerouac28]

ok,now i wanna go ride an elevator,and recite poe poetry while riding,:)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

now that would make any elevator trip fun, hehe!

[PopeShrimpy]

I like to imagine that deep down your true passion in life, your "white whale" is finding out as much as you can about elevator music. It would seem to me that they don't have music in stairs because your actualy doing something and being active, while being in most elevators...gets rather boring. Not a very interesting or fun theory...frankly i'm rather dissapointed in myself.

[Will1471987]

you are such a cute girl.

[theboombody]

You think too much. You need to be like Diogenes of Sinope, who hated learning and was apathetic towards most everything else.

[starkey7uk]

Hmmmm... Your accent is very intriguing. It sounds British, and yet somehow...

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Yes its a bit of a mixture, I have a video that goes into detail about it if you're interested in how it came to be, hehe :)

[starkey7uk]

Ah, good. Can you tell me where it is please? It's quite unique!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

It's one of my very early videos, I'll msg you the link =)

[ZachrielCL]

Elevators don't have music here in Chile ._. They are so boring... In my work I have to ride the elevator every day all the way to floor 25, the last floor of my building, but it is such a short ride that I would not be able to enjoy the music anyway =(

[skoob6969]

ur blue eyes r trip'n me out, but they are tight.

[clayLavl]

hmm...interesting topic.

[frumpyframpton]

Weirdly, I've been thinking about elevator music a lot recently too xD I couldn't remember if I'd been in elevators that had music, so I've been trying to pay attention and keep an ear out for it. I haven't found any yet.

As for continuing to have elevator music, it helps alleviate the awkward silence of standing rigid in a box with strangers.

[ShiekUrBooty]

In the future, all restaurants will be Taco Bell and all music will be elevator music.

[frumpyframpton]

I hope I die before then.

[ShiekUrBooty]

Ha, that reminds me of a funny joke. A person croaks and winds up in hell. They are being shown their choices of where they will be spending eternity. Behind door #1 is a guy strapped on a table and being whipped. It's not a pretty sight, so they move on to door #2 where a dude is being chased around the room with devils shooting flame throwers, it's not a pretty sight. So, they move on to door # where there is a room full of people having coffee and donuts while standing waste deep in poop.

[ShiekUrBooty]

So the dude says, "This don't look so bad, I'll take what's behind door #3".

So the dude enters the room, meets everyone is shown the donuts and coffee and gets some for himself, when the room "facilitator" looks at his watch and says, "OK, coffee break is over, back to doing handstands!"

[BarandClubbing]

can't you say 'hell' ??

[CocoForTheSoul]

I actually found this really interesting.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe, thank you! =)

[zebidee55]

My understanding is that 'Elevator Music' was invented by the Muzak Corporation, although not necessarily by the firm's founder, who was more involved in the development of wired radio, with Muzak being the spinoff product when wireless radio took over.

As for the elevators here in Germany, I haven't been in that many, but I don't remember hearing it here.

Your American accent is much stronger in this video! ;DDD

[TheRavenOfPoe]

yes that's the company that kept popping up in my reading too. Keep you ear out for that German elevator music for me, hehe! ;)

[mozartiikodesu]

Hi Jennifer

How are you doing?

Sometimes, I like a elevator music.

I think that it's used for as therapy program. Would you say a concrete the music name?

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I am doing well Tatsu! =) How are you?

Mm I'm not sure of any titles used as elevator music but a lot were produced by the company "Muzak".

[busywave]

I was stuck in an elevator for a short time recently. We had over loaded it with furniture too. Bad idea. We got rescued quickly though because there was a phone for emergencies. No musilc. nice topic....

[OdeToNecrophilia]

To answer your question in the description... Nope!

[IamNotTheMoon]

You never said why there was no stairwell music. Altough, given the echoey nature of stairwell's, I wouldn't mind if they piped in sacred choral music.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I'd like that too, hehe!

I implied there was no stair music because unlike elevators they were not unfamiliar noisy contraptions that people needed calming music for. I'd like stair music though I think, if it was beautiful choral music that echoed like you suggested =)

[ShiekUrBooty]

hah, if they put "stairs music" on escalators and a person was to step ahead on the escalator, does the music speed up? And, if the person was to step in reverse on an escalator, does the music play backward? It used to be rumored that some songs played backward revealed a satanic subliminal message. I tried to prove this by playing a vinyl record of ICE-T rap music backward and the subliminal message found on there went: "you're going the wrong way, mofo!"

[ouREvilone]

Oh that is interesting background! It all makes sense now haha. You know whats weird, I dont think Ive ever heard elevator music. Then again Ive never been in a really tall building more than probably 15 floors.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Yes it does seem to be less common these days, perhaps because it became the subject of so many jokes, hehe ^^

[QuaffFilms]

I find elevator music offensive.

[QuaffFilms]

The genre though, not music in elevators I suppose.

[blueastcoast]

I've gotta tell ya, that was the best 5 minutes of my life! =))

You're awesome, Jen!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe, thank you Jordan!

[ASAngelo]

You like to think about everything?

Golly, that's really-eally a very-ery whole lot to think about ...

Don't you think?

5*s

A.

(when I have a stair case, it shall have stair music)

[Redfrettchen]

Interesting! It makes sense, playing music to calm people down. But I guess being stuck in an elevator *while* a music loop is playing for hours will probably make you go mad :D

[Yakovich]

I find that elevator music can reall affect my moods...

Sometimes I find the music uplifting but sometimes it can also bring me down.

Sorry about that but this video really pushed my buttons!

Why is elevator music similar to porn music? Both are played when people are going down...

I'll go away now...

[jedimaster86]

Thanks for the brief, albeit lack of sources, lesson on elevator music, Jenn. I think I've seen that vid with the guy trapped before - interesting, and I liked how quickly he zoomed out of there at the end. I'd be dancing around, but I guess he just wanted to get away from that infernal gear-based transport.

Looks like a company called Muzak has been heavily involved in the creation of background music for public arenas, including elevators. Might wanna check it out. =)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Yes Muzak was the company I kept coming across too in my searching =)

[OverlordLizzy]

Great, now i also have to think about music in elevators everytime i use one. ^^

But in Germany its not generally to have music there. Its just in big stores or cinemas.

Maybe is that the reason why Germans are so stressed? We need more music in Elevators!

[LoveMattersMost]

The reason I bring up this topic of time distortion, is that I know from personal experience, that time moves slower in my Dentist's chair. Couldn't the same be true for an elevator? What about an elevator shaped like a dentist's chair? Hehe! ; )

[TheRavenOfPoe]

you'd have a hard time getting people to ride in an elevator shaped like that - combining two places people are rarely comfortable, hehe! ^^

[LoveMattersMost]

Physics topic #2.. It would have been wonderful, if the man stuck in the elevator for 41 hrs, had no watch. And the owners of the building, wishing to prevent a lawsuit, told him after being rescued, that he was stuck in there for only 1 hr instead of 41. Could he prove it really was 41 hrs?

[flan984]

Congratulations for this video, its simply delightful. Its not often we get to hear about these kind of miniscule wonders, that surround us, but go mainly unnoticed. Maybe because speaking about any given subject for 5 minutes straight is hard enough, but speaking 5 minutes straight about elevators and elevator music while actually keeping it interesting is almost impossible (or, at least, very, very, improbable). And yet you managed it.

[flan984]

By the way, I never thanked you for your comments on my profile, so, even though this is probably not the best place, I'd like to thank you for your visit and encouragement...

Best wishes...

[TheRavenOfPoe]

You are most welcome and thank you so much for your kind comment and encouraging words! =)

[LoveMattersMost]

I have a physics question regarding elevators. How do we know it's the elevators that are moving? Maybe it's a space where people are "held"(without windows!) for a few minutes, while they raise and lower the building!

[janfrie]

You have some quirky thoughts.

Like that :D.

[LewisRLive]

Who first thought to put music in elevators? I donno Why is there no such thing as staircase music? Cause it would sound like me singin LOL! Cool video

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe! I suppose the echoing in staircases might be a bit overwhelming if they did have music ^^

[LewisRLive]

good point

[yowee1234]

Oh my goodness! This is such an incredibly interesting, yet off-the-wall vlog. Actually, this is something I've wondered about from time to time. It's really admirable that you actually took the time to read into this. I like the fact that you cover such an eclectic array of topics in your videos. I wish you made more! :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe, thank you very much =)

[TheRealGentleman]

Well, I've tried thrice now to post a well-written and thoughtful response, but Youtube keeps eating my messages.

So I'll just say kudos and thanks for another informative and entertaining video of musings!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you! =) And alas for all the messages each of us lose to YouTube's glitch abyss ^^

[kwazi6]

It helps to relax those who are claustrophobic.

[ThreeofThree]

hahaha This is definitely something my friend Sara would talk to me about when we're eating out. :P

[fuertherbube]

Such deep blue eyes! It's not the camera, isn't it? That's infrequent!

I think there's no stair music, because stairs are more exhausting than elevators. You just want to get over with them. In an elevator you have a calm moment and the patience to listen to music. Human psychology i guess.

I hope my english is not too bloodcurdling!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Your English is excellent! The interaction of light and the camera makes my eyes more vivid than in person I think, hehe, a strange quirk of circumstances

[greycom123]

I recently rode in an elevator, it didn't have music but it was mirror lined and the point where the mirrors joined provided some entertaining relief on the way up and down.

[allshookup77]

I can see how elevator music can be calming for folks who are scared of riding in elevators... they can be a bit claustrophobic too! As a young boy I was stuck in an elevator for a short period of time and it didn't bother me... but people were concerned because my mom was pregnant at the time. Hmmm, I don't recall if there was music (LOL)! Fortunately I wasn't scarred for life and I can still ride on elevators today (LOL)! I enjoyed this chat Jennifer... thanks! ... FrAnK (★★★★★)

[audionautix]

You like to think. That's admirable. Many people don't enjoy thinking. I had a kidney stone about a month ago. As I laid on the bench in my doctors office, they had something on which was very soothing. A nylon guitar playing Beatles songs and accompanyed by a full band. It's was really soothing.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Music is very powerful like that :)

[DJAngelusZero]

much <3

[megatwingo]

5*****!

[taliajazel]

hahah that's funny, I was wondering just that as I was watching an episode of BONES and they mentioned elevator music. Now I don't have to look it up =] I'm always asking myself a lot of random questions too, but most of the time i forget to research them. I second the stair music prop =]

[mettanc]

in the usa u don't hear elevator music anymore, or at least i don't. and the elevator operator is no more too.

i use to live in chicago.

have a good weekend.

michael

[twin7819]

I thought the purpose was to diffuse awkwardness standing next to a stranger for a prolonged period of time. It's a little too close to hold a natural conversation facing each other.

[invisibletime]

ok i found it cool

[ZED74]

One thing that spooks me slightly is when i think about how much of a drop there is beneath me when i'm in an elevator . However I dont mind being stuck in one if you're there too lol Purely innocent of course ,, was just gonna have a deep and meaningful about elevator music dance remixes while we press all them shiney buttons till it blows up or something :)))

[invisibletime]

i cant see the link to man in elevator ?

[TheRavenOfPoe]

ah yes, it's embedded in the video but you reminded me here I should put it in the description box too - thank you! =)

[obi1isdabestubet]

First and for most amazing vid!!! Second i would like you to know in the past nine to ten months i have been subed and have had the awesomeness to talk and chill with you on blog you have really made me think and question some really deep things. In this time i have thought about things that i never knew existed. Now with elevators here (at least in vermont) i have never seen an elevator with music...i really always though it was in the movies and on tv lol have a great rest of the weekend:-D

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you!! I hope you do too ^^

[impeterator]

I really don´t like elevator music,i would be great though,if they´d play some heavy metal

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Elevators would certainly be much better if they had a few extra buttons in them to change the music genre playing, hehe - could lead to some arguments among strangers but at least the ride would go quickly! ;)

[thedemonoftwilight]

good ol elevator music so calming so soothing yet as you said can be borign at time but it makes me chipper how id love to be an elevator operator one day sure it might have its ups and downs ha ha sorry good video ill remember this everytime i even look at an elevator we have tone of elevator music here to in canada btw heck saskatoon is built on elevator music.....that and jazz...and interpretive dance lol

[CleverDjembe]

I love elevator music like my own son.

The main reason for its existence is to alleviate the unpleasant feeling of social pressure due to strangers being confined in a small space, not talking to each other.

[LoveMattersMost]

It is ironic, that the very purpose of elevator music is to calm people down. Yet, for some, the idea of being trapped in a confined space with strangers, and being forced to listen to Barry Manilow belting out "Oh Mandy" for several minutes, is enormously stressful! Me? I find elevators a handy convenience. That is where I get new ideas to add music to my ipod. hehe! ; )

[PerthPete1]

It is really enjoyable to find that you are so unrestrained in letting out your curiosity.

Of course you are allowed to post things like this on YouTube. It reminds me of my video "Crazy Idea #1 - Green Racing"

[DavidRandallCurtis]

It is always a good weekend when you post a video... 5*/faved ;)

[shoegooguru]

You are so incredibly beautiful. And interesting. You need a better background though...like a forest with some dragons and or unicorns and arid a crystal river. Things that go better with you.

if I was trapped in an elevator I would use my cell phone to call for help and then I would go out the trap door on the top and yell my head off. Since the elevator is in a vertical tunnel it would sound like a thousand monsters and somebody would surely soon come. If not, I'd climb to an exit(??)

[ripley4O77]

You learn something new everyday, I've been in a lot of elevators in my life but never have I even once heard music in any of them...maybe it's different in Holland and France...

[Regusername]

& Yay! I never realised you were in Australia, I love your videos, I reckon I would gladly pay to go & listen you speak, read poetry & tell stories.

I'm on the Sunshine coast.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you very much! =) I'm in Sydney but have family near the Sunshine coast ^^

[Regusername]

Well thank you "The Raven of Poe" I'm pretty chuffed with getting responses from you.

You made my night, I'm all smiles.

[Regusername]

I have seen that, I was caught once, I managed to get both doors open, there was only a small gap at bottom though, the floor of the elevator was just under the ceiling of a vacant floor. It took me hours to built up the courage to squeeze through then swing down onto the floor, I thought I may be chopped in half.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

eek yes, you wouldn't want it to start up again while you we're making your escape. How long were you stuck inside it for?

[Regusername]

About five hours, we were renovating a floor of an old building in Brisbane, it's gone now. It was my first day, nobody had even missed me.

[stars1861]

Ha. Love how your mind works. I've always thought the music was kind of a control and subliminal messages type of thing. It IS nice to not have total silence when riding with an elevator car full of strangers, though.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Yes I certainly find it tends to ease the awkward silence between strangers - mainly because we share a knowing glance and grin for the music being so terrible, hehe!

[michaelispan]

AGREED .

It's possible the music is meant to alleviate the sense of confinement and fear in a elevator .

[tavin15]

I heared about elevatormusic too, but I can't remember a single elevator playing music.

either It's very rare in Germany, or my memory tricks me.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Interesting! That is an another avenue I would like to explore - which countries tend to have elevator music and which don't. I've found it most common in the USA ^^

[tavin15]

indeed it is, we should research that. and I have allready an Idea how to do that!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I'd love to hear what you find out! =)