Muzak to be retired as company changes name to Mood

Muzak, the name given to generic background music heard in restaurants, lifts and elsewhere in life, is to lose its name after its parents company rebranded and announced the decision to rename all its products Mood.

Canadian company Mood Media bought Muzak for £221m in 2011 and is now seeking to house all of its business interests, which also include smells which can be pumped into shops to help benefit the retail experience, under the name Mood. "It’s the end of an iconic American brand," Lorne Abony, Mood Media’s chairman and chief executive told the New York Times. Mr. Abony said that Mood’s background music services, including Muzak generate around 90 per cent of its income, with the service earning £77 million in revenue and £20.5 million in earnings in the third quarter of 2012.

However, with a broad business which also incorporates signs, interactive displays and scents Mood are keen to update Muzak's image to further commercial opportunities. "It is often perceived as an epithet for elevator music," he said. "Muzak was not the connotation that suggested that we have come a long way."

"We have a team of music gurus, visual specialists, sound and scent-tech experts," Mr Abony continued. "We develop compelling, consistent experiences that connect our clients with their customers. The new brand signifies the integration of the company."