I'm outta here!

I just came back from the supermarket. Why is it that of all the loud music from which to choose, these places always choose the female vocalist  - the one who screams all her songs?  Wouldn't you think they would want their customer to concentrate on the merchandise?  To look everything over with no distractions?  In fact, to wander over to the next aisle and do it all again?  Isn't that what their store is all about?  Shopping?  Instead of this, half way through my list, I'm rushing to get out.  I don't realize I'm doing this - I just want out of there!
I was in a high end lingerie store last week.  Here the music was slightly sultry, somewhat lazy, instrumental jazz-type stuff.  The environment was "labelled" immediately.  Completely relaxed, I smiled at the salesgirl, asked her how she was, told her I wanted to browse around, and did so in complete enjoyment.
If music is going to be played, it should identify the store right away, it should say "this is the kind of store we have, this is what we feel about our store, this is reflective of what we want your shopping experience to be." Instead of this - we seem to have a pile of dirty CD's on a counter somewhere, covered in coffee stains, in the wrong cases, and the first person who thinks of it starts the player and turns it up real loud.  In small towns, sometimes the local radio will be playing in the store, and somehow, this is a more pleasant experience.  It's neat that the storekeeper is promoting the town.  More than likely also, they are listening for their own commercial.
I heard a column about "noise" yesterday.  The expert said that noise in all its forms is an increasing part of our environment.  It's invasive, it's loud, and it's affecting all of us in varying degrees, none of them good. Young people are losing their hearing without realizing it.  Our concentration is compromised whether it's in traffic, working in the office, even functioning in a house where several TV's might be turned up real loud.
I have not been quiet about this.  I have asked in various stores about the music.  I have grumbled to the check-out girl, and she usually says "you know what, I never even hear it anymore".  Fair enough.  The onus is on the store owner.

If stores are going to play music - find people who know this stuff.  People who can walk into the store and get a feel for what would work - what would make the customer happy. It's a sub-conscious thing.  All the customer knows is that he's having a good time in the store.   Are there people who do this?  I hope there are.  Because playing the janitor's favorite CD collection just doesn't cut it.