Musak Holdings goes ?Chapter 11¹ which for those of us who aren¹t savy to US
business legal terminology means that it is trying to protect itself from
going bankrupt. However, this is usually, in my experience, the last you
hear from a company as it slips beneath the water.

The article at
chron.com about Musak Holdings, who are a supplier of background music &
infamous for the bland life music of many generations ago. Although this
reference is somewhat unfair now what strikes me as interesting is why a
Musak Holdings is having trouble.

It blames, “long-standing debt” but the article continues to say, ” a slew
of store closures is also at fault, executives said recently, as the
continuing recession causes struggling businesses to cancel their Muzak
accounts.”

What it doesn¹t say is that it Is finding it hard to compete as the music
business, in all its areas, begins to change. Much like the large record
companies who seemingly find it hard to adapt and change, Musak holdings, it
seems to me, might be suffering the same, stereotypical large ‘too-slow-to
change’ corporate problem.

Today’s business music market looks very different to it was when Musak
Holdings started out. Whilst most of the innovation that has taken place in
the music industry has been high profile there has, and will continue to be
much innovation in the following few years. The Internet, of course, enables
businesses as well as consumers to look for new suppliers who can provide
better products and services and this will continue with the background
music market this year with background music becoming available from royalty
free libraries who are primed for providing businesses better deals with
even better and targetted music.

Just watch.

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