What music is heard most in doctor’s offices? And what do patients like and disklike?
During the holidays, I spent about an hour in a doctor’s office waiting room. There was music playing, some Christmas playlist that seemed to shuttle between various versions of “All I Want for Christmas is You” and “Last Christmas.” I heard each song no fewer than five times.
I thought of that experience when I saw a survey from Tebra, a company that assists medical practices and offices. They decided to take a look at the relationship between doctors’ waiting rooms and music. Here’s what they found.
Taylor Swift is the most-played artist in doctor’s office waiting rooms. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is because many offices just play the radio. If they tune to a pop or adult contemporary station, they’re going to get a lot of Tay-Tay. The Beatles are number two followed by Maroon 5.
“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey is the most popular medical office waiting room song. I guess you need a positive attitude if you’re sitting there waiting for diagnosis and treatment of some kind of sickness. In second spot was Nelly Furtado’s “Fly Like a Bird” and then “Africa” by Toto.
The least-welcome music in a waiting room? Metal, rap/hip-hip, and gospel in that order.
Classical music is the genre most associated with pain at the doctor’s office, followed by jazz. I don’t get that, but okay. At the same time, classical was indicated as the most-relaxing genre, ahead of jazz and lo-fi music. (I do not get that last one.)
Country music is the one most associated with anxiety. It’s also associated with the longest wait times, something that induces anxiety. Snarky comment from me: Country music gives me anxiety wherever and whenever I hear it.
Folk music fans are the most likely to be dishonest with their medical providers. In other words, they won’t tell the doctor everything that’s wrong with them or what they’ve done to end up in the office in the first place.
Hip-hop and rap fans are the most likely to regularly visit the hospital.
I have a doctor’s appointment today. I’ll be paying extra attention to the music.
