Music to Your Ears in Vegas Seven

This is probably the last literary spinoff from G2E: a piece in today’s Vegas Seven about the man behind the music in many Las Vegas casinos:

Here’s the funny thing about music in public places: If it’s working the way it should, you don’t even notice it on a conscious level. There’s just an extra spring in your step or, if you’re in a casino, pep in your poke as you hit the “bet again” button on your favorite slot machine. It’s the backbeat to your night out, or day at the spa, pushing you along without getting in your face. And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.

via Music to Your Ears | Vegas Seven.

I’ve been interested in the art and science of casino music programming for a while now, so it was great to be able to talk to Allen Klevens and learn all about how it’s done.

You really notice when it’s done wrong. I remember walking through MGM a while back when “Gold Dust Woman” by Fleetwood Mac came on. It was a bit disquieting, because that’s the kind of song that makes you think, “what am I doing with my life and what am I doing here?” rather than “let’s party!”

And I liked getting the peek behind the curtain, with Klevens revealing the three top tracks for casinos and three that won’t work. I’ve been listening to Brian Eno’s “This” a lot since then–but not in a casino.

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