Elevator music, also known as piped music or Muzak, refers to the gentle, bland arrangements of popular music designed for play in shopping malls, grocery stores, telephone systems (while the caller is on hold), and, of course, elevators. It sometimes features what seems like thousands of violins playing soft melodies or a brass band playing down-tempo salsa music. (However,the Muzak Corporation discontinued this type of music in 1982 and now uses only "original artists" for its music source.)
The Muzak corporation is perhaps the best-known supplier of such music. While some people find this style of music pleasant or soothing, some others find it annoying to the point of vexation. Indeed, the term muzak has become an epithet for excessively bland music.
Elevator music is also a term used disparagingly by jazz purists to describe smooth jazz.
See also: Ambient music
