Every time I go into Whole Foods in Charles River Plaza, I notice what a great music mix they're playing. It's safe stuff, to be sure - Sheryl Crow, Steve Winwood, very WBOS-ish - but it's upbeat, syncopated, and it makes me want to sing along.

And every time I go into Star Market in Central Square, I notice how horrible the music is. Christopher Cross, Linda Ronstadt, and the latest Britney clone. The closest they get to "edgy" is, um, Jakob Dylan. Every minute or two, the music is interrupted by an announcer who talks a little too fast, and can't quite pull off the "chainsaw voice". It does not make me want to sing, or dance; it makes me want to leave. Quickly. I almost left without ice cream today. You know that's serious.

So this leads me to two possible conclusions:

1. Whole Foods really thinks about - maybe even measures - the effect their music has on shopping, and Star Market doesn't.

OR

2. Star Market also really thinks about the effect their music has on shopping. And, through careful market testing, they have determined that the most profitable demographic is white middle-aged housewives who like Cyndi Lauper.

I really, really, really hope it's #1. For me... and for our country.