Drink This, Play That - Music for Coffee

You’re probably already aware—consciously or otherwise—of the power music has over the mind and our sensory experiences. We know that music in a café or restaurant can make or break the whole vibe of a space, but its influence goes beyond atmosphere. The psychology of music has been well studied, and sensory marketing research suggests that tempo, volume, genre, and pitch can influence everything from how quickly people eat and how much money they spend to how they perceive the flavor of their food.

When it comes to sensory perception, it's not surprising that people will associate certain flavors with certain sounds, textures, colors, and shapes. I mean, it's not a stretch if I say that zigzags are crunchy and salty—right? Well, some research suggests that people generally associate high-pitched sounds with sweet and sour, low-pitched sounds with bitter, staccato sounds with crunchy, and legato with smooth.

What does a coffee sound like? With over 800 volatile aromatic compounds found in coffee and a vast array of flavors, acidity levels, textures, and balance, there can't be just one answer. So, choosing to map each of our coffees to a curated Spotify playlist seemed like a no-brainer. The entire collection of playlists is called Drink This, Play That and now includes over 20 to choose from. With each new coffee drop, you'll find a new set of tunes to help you reach your Second State. 

So, how do we choose the groove? It's pretty simple. I thoroughly enjoy sipping a coffee and asking myself what it would sound like as a song. But I'm not well-versed enough in psychoacoustics or music psychology to treat it like the science mentioned earlier. I'm just someone who feels strongly about cohesion in a set list or album and who has long enjoyed the perfect mixtape. Sometimes a playlist is based on the name of the coffee (Mango Candy coffee and a song called Mango), sometimes it's based on the origin (old-school Ethiopian jazz for a classic washed Ethiopian), sometimes its based on how funky or mild the coffee is, and sometimes it's based on the exact flavor notes or tactile sensations (jammy, sweet, strawberry, honey) and the sounds that might reflect it.

No one asked me to do it, and I'm no expert, but I'm confident that there is some magic in brewing your coffee or drinking your coffee with a background track that just fits the vibe. I hope these songs do just that. If they don't, I fully invite you to create your own mix to our coffees and send it my way (brianna@secondstatecoffee.com)

PS. If you search SecondStateCoffee on Spotify, just note that we do have 6 profiles. Our main account and one for each of our 5 locations. The shop profiles are managed by the staff and are available to baristas to share their favorite cafe tracks and shop vibes.

-- Signed, your friendly neighborhood coffee educator and brand director