Elevator, Down: Muzak Parent Mood Media Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

[markwoll]

The Undead rise and fall , again.

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/202...ia-bankruptcy/

Mood Media, the parent company of background ‘elevator music’ mainstay Muzak, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Mood Media (formerly Fluid Music Canada) noted its intention to move forward with the Chapter 11 filing in a recently published release. Along with the bankruptcy plans, the announcement shed light upon a restructuring support agreement (RSA) with lenders, designed to reduce Mood Media’s debt by over $400 million, and $240 million in new financing to maintain liquidity amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Moreover, Mood Media relayed that it (like most other companies that seek Chapter 11 protection) plans to continue operating throughout the bankruptcy process, as it did while restructuring some $650 million in debt through a Chapter 15 filing in 2007. To be sure, Muzak itself filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009, emerged from the corresponding proceedings in 2010, and was purchased by Mood Media for a reported $345 million in 2011.

In addition to Muzak, Mood Music has acquired several background music providers, including Trusonic, Technomedia, and its sister company, GoConvergence, during the last decade or so. The company also possesses Somerset Entertainment, a kiosk-based music distributor, Austin branding agency DMX, European audio-visual installation provider BIS Group, and former Muzak independent affiliate South Central A\V.

[SunRunner2]

The interesting thing about Muzak itself is that it never supplied background music for elevators. This excerpt was taken from "The Science Of Muzak", which has some interesting facts about the original Muzak that I was unaware of (including how it got its name, combining the words "music" and "Kodak"). As far as actual elevator music goes, it was always the blandness factor which turned me off. However, these days it is usually lite Rock offerings which drive one crazy whether in elevators or elsewhere. A story that I once encountered involved Al Stewart, who heard his song "Time Passages" playing in an elevator and he was quite irritated that he ever wrote it, dismissing it as only being written to fulfill his contract with the label that wanted something that sounded like "Year Of The Cat". However, I liked "Time Passages" a lot (though not as much as "Year Of The Cat").

from "The Science Of Muzak", Brian Dunning:
Although nearly everyone associates the company Muzak with elevator music, this has never been one of their offerings. Muzak was initially offered to consumers via a proprietary amplifier that used Squier's patents, but quickly lost in the market to free broadcast radio. So the company changed its direction providing music for hotels and restaurants, venues that preferred not to subject their customers to the advertisements that saturated broadcast radio. By 1936, Muzak's marketing executives were touting their claim that background music increased productivity, improved worker morale, and reduced absenteeism.

[ronmac]

I grew up listening to that garbage coming from my dad's stereo. It wasn't until I became a Beatles fanatic that I realized I already knew so many of their songs because of Muzak.

It still turns my stomach thinking about it.

BLECH!

[mogrooves]

Muzak's marketing executives were touting their claim that background music increased productivity, improved worker morale, and reduced absenteeism.[/I]

It also keeps shoppers in the store longer; evidently, silence is stressful.

[SunRunner2]

^^^

That's right; who's going to leave the store before hearing the last couple of minutes of "We Built This City"...