Muzak, Does it exist out side the USA?

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The word "Muzak" is actually the name of specific company.

Im using it to mean piped music in general.

Back in the mid nineties when I worked as a store clerk in a large chain drugstore.
I noticed a lady standing in an aisle just holding her mouth in amused, and bemused, amazement at something.

It turned out she was fighting the urge to laugh, as she explain in her twittery British accent because "there is a gentlemen in the next aisle singing 'Have I Told You Lately That I Love You".

I said "that the store's piped music....". I bit my tongue before I could say "you idiot", but the angry tone was in my voice and it wiped the smile off her face.

I told my mom the story. She replied "well she's an ENGLISH lady. They dont do gimmicky crap like play music in stores in England!"

So my question to all you Brits- indeed to all non-Americans (whether you're from an english speaking country or not) is this:

Do they play piped music in retail stores in your country. I mean is it the norm, or the exception.
Im curious to know if that just a gimmicky decadent american thing, or is it universal?

In Japan, the stores have barkers who just repeat a phrase (if even a phrase) over and over again.

I don't know if Muzak is the trade name/registered trademark for this, but I'm pretty sure
that canned music (called easy listening before it bores you to distraction and insufferable
after) from providers other than radio stations does exist in Canada.

We have Muzak here.

Of courth we have piped muthic.

...BTW , I have read that the traditional " idea " of generic Muzak - the gloppy string orchestra playing Cole Porter , or Eddy Arnold-identified , songs , soupy cover version of them - just barely exists anymore , the Muzak company provides only one channel offering that kind of " Classic Muzak " anymore , out of 40 or so which they offer...

i was in the west edmonton mall in alberta canada 2 decades ago, and i remember being in a room there which had some kind of piped goopy elevator-style music going on, that could've been muzak.

Unfortunately yes and we will never forgive you for it

I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.