Many businesses buy music from music stores and subscribe to music services in order to create the atmosphere they want. Whether the ambiance is one of serenity or of energy, background music can help customers feel at home and welcomed.

When shopping for music, it's important to consider all of your options. Your may find the best fit for your business by combining products from music stores online and offline:

1. Subscriptions to satellite radio can provide continuous, hassle-free music from a variety of stations.
2. Music stores and record stores offer contemporary, traditional and sometimes eclectic CDs, DVDs and LPs.
3. Music store chains tend to offer a more popular selection of CDs and DVDs.
4. An online music store sells music via the internet, often in a digital format. You can listen to a few seconds of a song and also view its popularity rating.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Subscribe to a satellite music service through a digital music store

If you want a variety of stations sorted by type without commercials, consider satellite radio, by one of the two satellite radio providers.

I recommend: XM Satellite Radio offers over 170 (music and non-music) stations for a monthly charge. SIRIUS Satellite Radio offers 69 channels of music (130 total) for a monthly charge. Both systems require a receiver, which varies in price, as well as your own sound system.

Visit music stores and record stores

Many cities still have independent record shops. If you need a certain record or want to explore a certain genre of music in depth, try visiting stores for music in your area or see what you can find online.

I recommend: Princeton Record Exchange, Inc. has over 140,000 used and new CDs, DVDs and LPs. Rockin' Rudy's is a much smaller music store you may want to try, especially after perusing their staff favorites. Music Millennium, well-known in the Portland area, opened its doors in 1969 and has been an area favorite ever since.

Visit music store chains

Within the last ten years, many traditional music store chains across the nation have gone out of business. If you want a selection of popular music, try a chain that has a music department but also sells other products, or try visiting cd music stores online.

I recommend: For well-known chain stores for music, try Best Buy, Borders, Inc. and places like Target and Costco Wholesale Corporation for a variety of popular music. CD Universe carries over 500,000 music CDs, games and videos. If you want used CDs, try Cheap-CDs.

Visit an online music store

Many online music stores allow you to download music. You can then play songs from a computer or MP3 player, which will need to be hooked into your store's sound system.

I recommend: Downloading music has gone mainstream. Napster, LLC allows you to download music for a monthly fee, legally. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. also sells a variety of downloadable music in its digital music store.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Carefully consider how your music choices will create an atmosphere. Will they project the image you want?
• •  In most stores and businesses--even music shops--background music should be played on low volume, so people can communicate easily.
• •  Consider how your music selections will affect employees over their daily shifts.