Insights
The research behind the music.
Sound is one of the few design levers with directly measured effects on customer behavior. Here's what peer-reviewed and industry research actually shows — and how Spiraria applies it.
Retail
Does Background Music Increase Retail Sales? What the Research Shows
A landmark supermarket study found that slowing the in-store music tempo alone raised daily sales by 38% — here's what four decades of retail-atmospherics research actually shows.
Read the researchHospitality
The Psychology of Waiting: How Sound Design Shortens Perceived Wait Time
Filled time feels shorter than empty time. Research on hold music and waiting environments shows the right sound changes how long a wait feels, even when the clock doesn't move.
Read the researchSpa & wellness
Why the Right Music Lowers Stress — and What That Means for Spas
A meta-analysis of controlled trials found music-based interventions produce a medium-to-large reduction in stress-related outcomes (d = 0.72) — and tempo is a large part of why.
Read the researchGym & fitness
The Right Tempo: How Music BPM Affects Motivation in Gyms and Fitness Studios
In a controlled trial, high-tempo music (130 BPM) had participants exercising 10.7% longer at high intensity than the no-music condition — tempo is the most-studied variable in exercise music research.
Read the researchSonic branding
Sonic Branding and Brand Recall: Why a Business Needs a Sound Identity
A 2024 academic review in Psychology & Marketing links sonic branding to an 8.5x higher chance of appearing in high-performing ads and a 38% brand-recall lift after a sonic logo launch.
Read the researchQuestions
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Common questions about background music, licensing and sonic branding, answered directly.
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