ABOUT THE ARCHIVE

Using no music whatever from any other source, MUZAK’S service is based on its own exclusive arrangements and unique programming concepts. MUZAK tapes new music continuously using top-name arrangers.

MUZAK selects, arranges, and records its own music specifically and exclusively for functional use. The distracting or irritating musical devices of ordinary entertainment music are avoided.

There are nearly 2,000 master recordings on 12” transcription discs; Muzak recordings from 1934 to 1937, and approximately 8,000 master recordings on 16” discs from 1935 to 1958. Then, from the mid 1950s to the late 1980s the Muzak archives contain over 10,000 master recordings on ¼”, ½” and 1” audio tape. 20,000 master recordings of American pop culture, most of which has been untouched for over 60 years.

Stored in their New York City corporate headquarters from the 1940s, Muzak’s music archives were moved from Manhattan to Seattle in1987, then to Charlotte in 2000, where over 50 pallets of master recordings now reside in a climate controlled facility.

To date, only 750 tracks have been digitized, leaving over 19,250 to go.