Salon Mix Vol. 1: Crowd Pleaser

One of the most contentious aspects of long days in the salonis selecting the right music. It can really set the mood for everyone, client and staff alike. Playing the right music is a lot of pressure; you are trying to create the right vibe as well as remain work-appropriate, navigating a delicate balance between soothing sounds that relax clients and energizing songs that motivate staff. There's only so many times you can pick Blood Orange or Khruangbin radio before you find yourself racking your brain on what to pick next.

With Crowd Pleaser my goal is to give your space a cool, laid-back vibe with plenty of songs for every kind of listener. I curated this playlist with some of my favorite songs, including some new ones that you may not have heard of and a few I think are ‘must play’ tracks in a salon. Any time I hear a song that really pulls me in, I think to myself “this song is perfect for a salon”. I was inspired to make a playlist for other stylists that fits any occasion or mood for your salon. Crowd Pleaser is a collection of songs you can play on any given day for a bright and energized salon while maintaining a relaxed and almost loungey sort of ambiance in your space that everyone will enjoy (unless they hate fun).

In the mix you will hear salon classics like ‘Gibraltar’ by the American Indie pop group Tennis for that dreamy surfer influence; and a cover of Sheryl Crow’s Soak Up The Sun by Indie Rock singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy for a classic with a twist that entertain a wide array of clients.

My faves on this playlist are the latest single from R&B/Pop Singer Tinashe, “Talk to me Nice”, which blends dance and darkwave into a cool, brooding, moody song that I can’t resist bobbing along to; and “Crush” by Shygirl and Erika de Casier. Shygirl is known for edgy, sexual, industrial/hyper pop hits, but on this track is juxtaposed by dreamy, bedroom pop singer de Casier, for an enchanting, ethereal, fast-moving love ballad.

I love music almost as much as I love hair, so I’ll be updating this playlist from time-to-time as I discover new crowd-pleasers! If you like that kind of stuff, you can follow this playlist on my Spotify so you don’t miss out on the new new. 

What kind of music do you love to play in your salon? I’d love to hear what you’re listening to right now or what your go-to crowd-pleasers are.