Ever wonder about who is “jazzing” out your favorite tunes when your utility company puts you on hold or you are uncomfortably riding up several floors on the elevator, longing to belt out the lyrics to Britney’s Baby One More Time?

Muzak is the company that removes your favorite lyrics from the songs, and licenses the instrumental version of the song to businesses.  …that is, until recently.

Muzak’s notoriety has been based upon their expert ability to turn music’s hits into easy-listening, instrumental, white noise that you can “zone out” with, or in some people’s opinion – just really bad music.  However, change is good and if you, like Muzak, were $200 million in debt last year and this year sold your company for $345 million (that’s a $145 million in profit!), change is great.

Mood Media, a competitor of Muzak recently purchased Muzak, becoming the biggest market supplier of “bad” music to over 300,000 businesses in the U.S.  They will provide everything from call-waiting music to display screen graphics.

Muzak CEO Steve Richards said in a statement, “This combination will offer sophisticated new and expanded solutions and opportunities for our customers and employees.”  Mood Media CEO Lorne Abony added, “We’re super-jazzed about the opportunity to purchase Muzak. It’s a storied brand, a classic brand, with an incredible footprint.”

Let’s hope America shares the enthusiasm when we are on hold for 20 minutes, listening to NIN’s Closer, the jazzed version.

Filed under: Copyrights by Yau Jo-Anne Monday, April 18th, 2011