I like Afterburner but yeah outside of "why am I hearing Sleeping Bag at CVS?" insanity I don't know why anything from it would make regular rotation on rock radio now
― da croupier, Thursday, October 11, 2012 2:32 PM
I tweeted this a few days ago. Recently:
Duran Duran - Do You Believe in ShameMichael Penn - This and That
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 11 October 2012 18:50 (four years ago) Permalink
Semisonic: All About Chemistry
― 50 Shades of Greil (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 11 October 2012 18:56 (four years ago) Permalink
Grocery store, not CVS, but "Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins.
― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 11 October 2012 19:03 (four years ago) Permalink
Not a CVS but I recently heard "I Am The Slime" by Zappa when I was getting my hair cut
― chr1sb3singer, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:19 (four years ago) Permalink
once heard the entirety of they might be giants' flood on the walmart radio station.
― balls, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:24 (four years ago) Permalink
jesus buddy were you waiting for an oil change or something?
― there is no dana, only (goole), Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:24 (four years ago) Permalink
ie it wasn't some worker blasting flood thru the store pa, it was the corporate radio station piped into walmarts coast to coast for some reason doing a 'showcase' on flood.
― balls, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:25 (four years ago) Permalink
haha i think (dear god i hope) it started soon after i arrived and i may have indeed lingered to take it in, hear 'twisting' for the first time in however many years, take half an hour to decide whether or not i want poptarts, etc. something very fucked about hearing this blasting at walmart though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zNoxjUUyec
― balls, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:28 (four years ago) Permalink
hahaha that's better than what I was guessing, which was "Your Racist Friend"
― The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:29 (four years ago) Permalink
I heard Cracker's cover of "Shake Some Action" in CVS just two nights ago.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:32 (four years ago) Permalink
Others:
Boz Scaggs - Miss Suna-ha - The Sun Always Shines on TVTyler Collins - Girls Night OutToni Childs - Don't Walk Away
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:34 (four years ago) Permalink
Huh I heard echo beach at Barnes & noble last week.
― we fed him, now he's an 8 million pound troll all over our board (Hunt3r), Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:47 (four years ago) Permalink
weirdest one i remember was "change your mind" by neil young while i was standing in line to get painkillers a few years ago. must've been a radio edit. felt appropriate.
― tylerw, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:37 (four years ago) Permalink
Michael Penn - This and Thatalso, this song is so classic
― tylerw, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:38 (four years ago) Permalink
Heard "Let's Hang On" which was a minor Top 40 for Barry Manilow at a Rite Aid once.
― jetfan, Friday, 12 October 2012 02:27 (four years ago) Permalink
Sunrise by Duran Duran at Papa Ginos a month or so ago.Why would THAT happen?
― mr.raffles, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 03:21 (four years ago) Permalink
lite rock cover of Catch the Sun by Doves @ my bank
― suggest butt (Pillbox), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 04:19 (four years ago) Permalink
"Heaven's on Fire" by KISS was playing on at least two separate occasions at the CVS by my college
not an obscure single really but jarring in the soft-rock context, heard "More Bounce to the Ounce" at the local grocery store a few months ago
― no love spud webb (fadanuf4erybody), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 04:36 (four years ago) Permalink
REM - "All The Way To Reno"
― da croupier, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 15:53 (four years ago) Permalink
― balls, Thursday, October 11, 2012 5:25 PM (6 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
That is exceptionally weird and now I want to listen to that album which I haven't done in years.
― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 15:55 (four years ago) Permalink
It's not obscure but I was euphoric when I heard Amy Grant's "I Will Remember You" yesterday.
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 16:09 (four years ago) Permalink
was picking up prescription for antidepressant at walgreens and they were playing "i wanna be sedated." no lie.
― andrew m., Wednesday, 17 October 2012 16:13 (four years ago) Permalink
heard velvet underground - oh! sweet nuthin' at walgreens last week
― Anime Mann (diamonddave85), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 16:16 (four years ago) Permalink
Sugar Ray's "Chasin You Around" at Met Foods. The second single off In Pursuit Of Leisure, the album after the last one anyone cared about
― da croupier, Sunday, 28 October 2012 13:52 (four years ago) Permalink
not obscure but heard like a 10-minute Tool deep cut in a 24 hour kroger once. it was weird because there was usually just soft rock & r&b playing there
― turds (Hungry4Ass), Sunday, 28 October 2012 16:07 (four years ago) Permalink
a couple visits to shop rite ago i heard the 12-inch edit of "she's always in my hair"
― charlie the luna (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Sunday, 28 October 2012 16:10 (four years ago) Permalink
I'm just gonna use this thread for obscure songs heard in any retail setting:
Roxy Music - 2HB in Noodles and Company yesterday.
― German Disco Songsmith (Dan Peterson), Monday, 13 January 2014 22:18 (three years ago) Permalink
The other week in Morrisons they were playing 'If I Could Talk I'd Tell You' by the Lemonheads (a #39 smash in 1996).
― Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 15 January 2014 16:18 (three years ago) Permalink
Heard the Kinks' "Juke Box Music" in a grocery store a couple of years ago. Barely a hit in the US in 1977, never played on "classic rock" radio.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 15 January 2014 17:51 (three years ago) Permalink
lol i heard donna lewis's flop second single "without love" in a cvs once
― dyl, Wednesday, 15 January 2014 18:22 (three years ago) Permalink
Heard "For What It's Worth" by The Cardigans in the grocery store the other day.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Wednesday, 15 January 2014 18:30 (three years ago) Permalink
not that obscure really but heard dennis deyoung's "desert moon" followed by madonna's "this used to be my playground" on KRGR kroger radio last night, the algorithm was feeling some super intense nostalgia apparently
― balls, Wednesday, 12 February 2014 21:06 (three years ago) Permalink
Thought this was a revival of this thread: albert hammond, "it never rains in southern california"
― The Crescent City of Kador (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 21:07 (three years ago) Permalink
Not obscure, but I really enjoyed hearing Scritti Politti at CVS yesterday.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 12 February 2014 21:20 (three years ago) Permalink
I heard the song 'On the Beach' by Neil Young at the grocery store once.
― Austin, Wednesday, 12 February 2014 23:46 (three years ago) Permalink
Heard "Couple Days Off" by Huey Lewis & The News last night at Whataburger.
― ...out of that weakness, out of that envy, out of that fear.. (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 13 February 2014 03:17 (three years ago) Permalink
Heard "Emerge" Fischerspooner at a Florida water-park
― Mark G, Thursday, 13 February 2014 07:14 (three years ago) Permalink
https://soundcloud.com/hennessyyoungman/cvsbangers
― 龜, Thursday, 13 February 2014 07:21 (three years ago) Permalink
haha thank you, a classic
― raggett neds of your summer dress (The Reverend), Thursday, 13 February 2014 07:44 (three years ago) Permalink
Jack In The Box is good for these. Today it was "Wild Wild Life" by Talking Heads, and last time a couple weeks ago I heard "Canary In A Coalmine" by The Police.
― Interior. Ibiza Bar (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 26 March 2014 21:07 (three years ago) Permalink
alfred i'd start straight up bawling
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 26 March 2014 22:04 (three years ago) Permalink
I heard that really sterile, generic, terrible ballad by "Sergio Mendes" from the 80s...."Never Gonna Let You Go"...in a Zaxby's.
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 26 March 2014 22:06 (three years ago) Permalink
whenever i'm in cvs i hear "shattered dreams"
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 26 March 2014 22:06 (three years ago) Permalink
I heard Jack Wagner's "All I Need" and Richard Marx's "Hazard" once in an Albertsons during a 4 hour shift. I remain convinced that they had not changed their Muzak since my childhood.
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 26 March 2014 22:09 (three years ago) Permalink
and whenever I hit the "from this empty heart" falsetto several mothers in the cold medicine section scowl
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 March 2014 22:10 (three years ago) Permalink
hahaha. I can't help not singing along to that tune either. that or "All I Need is a Miracle".
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 26 March 2014 22:11 (three years ago) Permalink
haha otm
― goole, Thursday, 27 March 2014 14:39 (three years ago) Permalink
Shopping for pencils and invisible tape at CVS this morning I heard "Soul Drifter" by Lindsey Buckingham!
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 15 April 2014 14:49 (three years ago) Permalink
^^^^ I've heard it at CVS too
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 April 2014 14:49 (three years ago) Permalink
Manu Dibango - "Soul Makossa," in H.E.B. yesterday (though for some reason, in that store, the only place you can usually hear the music without straining your ears is in the restroom)
― xhuxk, Wednesday, 16 April 2014 18:16 (three years ago) Permalink
last week, I went to a different location of the grocery store that I always go to (where I've heard everything reported on in this thread) and it was all instrumental smooth jazz.
― how's life, Sunday, 8 January 2017 19:37 (five months ago) Permalink
Heard "Fascination" (the Human League song) in At Home. Not so obscure, but at the same time not something I can ever remember hearing in a store, while out and about, at least since the 80s.
― _Rudipherous_, Monday, 9 January 2017 00:08 (five months ago) Permalink
not exactly fitting for this thread, given its status as an underground classic, but i was surprised to hear "Vitamin C" by Can at a Chipotle in south Phoenix last month
Very interesting to see this, because there was something I've wanted to post here for a while but I felt it might not be relevant. At the gym I go to - and this is why I hesitated, I wasn't sure if a gym is comparable to CVS or a similar retail outlet, but anyway - they normally play one of two things, a) a spectacularly dull classic rock mix, with CCR played at least once every half hour, or b) a Top 40 dance mix. Well one day recently I was doing my exercises and suddenly Can's "Vitamin C" came on. I don't know why, or what algorithm brought that about, but there it was.
― Josefa, Monday, 9 January 2017 05:19 (five months ago) Permalink
Bowie's "Sound and Vision" in the supermarket just now.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 9 January 2017 23:17 (five months ago) Permalink
IMHO that counts! Although it crystallizes something about this thread to me, which is that there's at least two versions of this. One is where retail playlist designers design or lease some algorithm meant to add "hippitude" (I'm guessing) - hence the Can and Television and Buzzcocks and so on. The other is where an algorithm meant to capture popular, well-liked music omnivorously consumes anything that's ever charted or been semi-popular or was released as a single by a top-40 act.
A third version of this kind of works as a fusion of the first two. BACKGROUND: Both my Mom and my sister are merchandisers for a magazine & other goods company that services most of the major chains in America. This jobs takes then into multiple stores daily, incliding CVS, Walgreens etc. Occasionally they'll ask me about some song they hear in those stores. one that sticks out was a single by JD McPherson, a neo-Rockabilly guy who's on Rounder, which was getting a lot of play in drug and grocery stores. I imagine his label, knowing that there is no place for him on commercial radio, instead turns promotion towards Muzak and related services. His song gets played in stores, getting exposed to way more ears than any terrestrial radio could (since alot of these services can guarantee one spin being heard coast-to-coast in thousands of Krogers), and hopefully a % of those hearing said song will Shazam it with a purchase or stream following.
So you get a song that is already kind of hip and at best will only be semi-popular chart-wise rubbing shoulders with the latest dispatches from Adele, Taylor, or Meghan Trainor in every grocery/drug/clothing store.
― "I must believe that my charm was not in my ass." (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 9 January 2017 23:55 (five months ago) Permalink
I think this was discussed somewhere on ILM when it broke, but it needs to be here too:
http://www.chartattack.com/news/2015/10/09/someone-just-uploaded-their-complete-collection-of-kmart-in-store-background-music/
― "I must believe that my charm was not in my ass." (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 9 January 2017 23:57 (five months ago) Permalink
Not me, but a friend is at Pearson Airport in Toronto and heard the Yardbirds' "I Can't Make Your Way" over the PA.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 12 January 2017 19:58 (five months ago) Permalink
"Sleeping Satellite" by Tasmin Archer in a local burger joint (#32 in the US).
― naus, Wednesday, 18 January 2017 05:37 (five months ago) Permalink
Lulu: "Oh Me Oh My" at Goodwill
― "I must believe that my charm was not in my ass." (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:39 (four months ago) Permalink
...and Mercy: "Love Can Make You Happy"
― "I must believe that my charm was not in my ass." (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:59 (four months ago) Permalink
Doobie Brothers - "Echoes of Love" at my local supermarket.
― MarkoP, Wednesday, 8 February 2017 18:27 (four months ago) Permalink
War: "All Day Music" at the FedEx Store
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 8 February 2017 22:27 (four months ago) Permalink
Reminds me that I heard "Cisco Kid" last week st the supermarket.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 8 February 2017 23:10 (four months ago) Permalink
Steve Miller: "Dance Dance Dance" & Boz Scaggs "Breakdown Dead Ahead" at Krogers
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 9 February 2017 05:24 (four months ago) Permalink
The Yardbirds' "For Your Love" at Walmart.
― timellison, Monday, 13 February 2017 22:08 (four months ago) Permalink
Not obscure, but it's still kind of strange to hear "London Calling" when I'm (lost) in the supermarket.
― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 14 February 2017 05:34 (four months ago) Permalink
Holy Shit!
Big Star: "September Gurls" at FUDDRUCKERS
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 10 March 2017 21:51 (three months ago) Permalink
the fuck are you doing at a Fuddruckers
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 March 2017 21:55 (three months ago) Permalink
Elton John "Tower of Babel" at Foodtown
― Hideous Lump, Saturday, 18 March 2017 04:00 (three months ago) Permalink
ok woah.
― tales of a scorched-earth nothing (Doctor Casino), Saturday, 18 March 2017 05:51 (three months ago) Permalink
Lyle Lovett: "Private Conversation" at Randall's
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 23 March 2017 04:21 (three months ago) Permalink
INXS: "Disappear" at Fuddruckers
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 13 April 2017 21:37 (two months ago) Permalink
very austin
― 1staethyr, Friday, 14 April 2017 03:53 (two months ago) Permalink
...except I was in Houston, but yeah...
I actually used to hear that track a lot in stores late '90s/early '00s.
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 14 April 2017 03:57 (two months ago) Permalink
whoops, i don't know why i always thought randall's was only in central texas
― 1staethyr, Friday, 14 April 2017 04:11 (two months ago) Permalink
Not exactly obscure, but the huge at the time and now forgotten David Gray: "Avalon" at Jason's Deli
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 20 April 2017 21:42 (two months ago) Permalink
Squeeze: "Pulling Mussels (From A Shell)" at Which Which (not that obscure, but still somewhat surprising on a non-80s only muzak)
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 28 April 2017 20:53 (one month ago) Permalink
Happy Mondays - 'Step One
In Guitar Center.
― Austin, Friday, 5 May 2017 19:26 (one month ago) Permalink
*'Step On'
― Austin, Friday, 5 May 2017 19:27 (one month ago) Permalink
OMD - 'Souvenier'
In Starbucks.
― Austin, Friday, 5 May 2017 20:08 (one month ago) Permalink
Two different days, two early Elvis Costello's
"Crawling To The USA" at a pizza place"No Action" at Fuddruckers
And this shouldn't count, but I had an extended project meeting at a local coffee house yesterday that was bringing the Punk/Post-Punk with full album airings of Pink Flag and Entertainment!.
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 5 May 2017 20:54 (one month ago) Permalink
Also at Fudds: Talking Heads: "Love-->Building On Fire"
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 5 May 2017 21:13 (one month ago) Permalink
local coffee houses absolutely do not count although that was probably pretty good listening!
― ✓ (Doctor Casino), Friday, 5 May 2017 22:44 (one month ago) Permalink
It was! The amazing thing to me is this place isn't in some hipster enclave, but rather a strip mall wedged between two fairly large and untrendy subdivisions. I think some of the staff are punks, because I've heard similar stuff in there before, but not to the degree of full albums.
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 6 May 2017 01:44 (one month ago) Permalink
Yesterday the gas station I work at played Reel Big Fish's cover of "Take On Me." I have that on CD and I hadn't even thought about it in fifteen years.
― Guy Pidgeotto (Tom Violence), Saturday, 6 May 2017 02:24 (one month ago) Permalink
Nirvana: "Molly's Lips", Rolling Stones: "Rip This Joint", and Black Crowes: "Sting Me" at Freebirds
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 10 May 2017 22:11 (one month ago) Permalink
ZZ Top: "Doubleback" at Randalls
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 14 May 2017 00:23 (one month ago) Permalink
Galaxie 500 - Tugboat - IKEA parking lot
― Hans Holbein (Chinchilla Volapük), Friday, 19 May 2017 02:50 (one month ago) Permalink
wow that's a good one ^
― austinb, Friday, 19 May 2017 06:25 (one month ago) Permalink
^ Impressive.
Not impossibly obscure, but Morrissey's "Suedehead" is exactly what I didn't expect to hear in Bunnings [massive blokey hardware warehouse in Australia] recently.
― Maximum big surprise! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Friday, 19 May 2017 07:38 (one month ago) Permalink
Go-Go's: "Speeding" at Kroger
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 23 May 2017 04:14 (one month ago) Permalink
Badfinger "Maybe Tomorrow" at Foodtown
― Hideous Lump, Thursday, 1 June 2017 05:07 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Liz Phair: "Supernova" at Fuddruckers
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 2 June 2017 22:29 (three weeks ago) Permalink
...and Split Enz: "Six Months In A Leaky Boat"
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 2 June 2017 22:50 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Classic Gold for this thread:
Lisa Loeb: "I Do" at Taco Bell
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 12 June 2017 00:11 (one week ago) Permalink
Followed up by Carole King: "Jazzman"
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 12 June 2017 00:14 (one week ago) Permalink
Just heard Icicle Works — 'A Whisper to a Scream' in Albertson's.
― Austin, Wednesday, 14 June 2017 16:49 (one week ago) Permalink
Georgia Satellites: "Battleship Chains" at Kroger
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 15 June 2017 03:58 (one week ago) Permalink
I heard "Don't Pay the Ferryman" in Safeway.
― croque monsoon (Ye Mad Puffin), Thursday, 15 June 2017 04:00 (one week ago) Permalink
Otis Redding: "(I've Got) Dreams To Remember" at Fuddruckers
― to fly across the city and find Aerosmith's car (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 23 June 2017 21:32 (yesterday) Permalink