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+--- Thread: Spotify "jukebox" at the gym (/showthread.php?tid=17712)
Spotify "jukebox" at the gym - bob_32_116 - 02-02-2017
Maybe this is old news, but it's new to me:
My gym has installed a Spotify "jukebox". It consists of an iPad or iPad-style device fixed on the wall, and you can search through the songs in its collection and select one to place in the play queue. Eventually it will play over the loudspeakers. The interface is Spotify, however the selection is clearly only a small subset of what's available on Spotify, as I was unable to find a number of songs that I know for a fact are on Spotify.
The gym's history of attempts at providing an acceptable musical background for pumping iron has been long and tortured. They used to simply tune the system to one of the local pop stations. There were issues, however, with some of the content. As you know, many of today's songs are pretty free and easy with use of swear words and with lyrical content that some people could find pretty offensive. Sometimes the announcers themselves are worse. On one occasion I complained to the counter staff that I did not particularly want to listen to discussion about Miley Cyrus wetting her pants while I was trying to concentrate on exercise. I did not take kindly to one staff member's suggestion that if I did not like the sonic environment I should invest in an iPod and wear earphones. At home I can exercise my freedom of choice and turn off the radio or tune to another station, but at the gym there is a captive audience. Importantly, the gym is part of a rec. centre owned and operated by the local city council - it is not a private commercial concern - hence it's a publicly funded facility and has certain standards to uphold, in a way that a privately owned gym does not.
They then tried that syndicated music that's specifically created for places like health clubs, but the music is pretty putrid and in any case the play list repeats itself, leading to the annoying experience of hearing a track and knowing what the next track will be.
So now they have this "jukebox", and it will be interesting to see how things evolve. I don't know how the selection is compiled. Obviously it has all the current chart hits, but I have also heard a few "classic rock" tracks - The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Springsteen etc. Out of curiosity I searched for tracks by the not very well known Australian electronic band Midnight Juggernauts; there were about half a dozen songs. On the other hand, there was nothing from neo-progressive acts like Anathema or Porcupine Tree, and surprisingly no Opeth either, though they have quite a following and have had several charting albums.
I'm pleasantly surprised that it does not seem to get monopolised by certain people who just want to hear "their" music. As far as I can tell, there is nothing to prevent me from selecting ten songs in a row, nor from deleting something already in the queue, so it seems to rely on people being sensible and nice. On the original 1950's jukeboxes, of course, you had to pay, which discouraged patrons from monopolising the thing.
We shall see.
Spotify "jukebox" at the gym - MFS - 02-02-2017
Not seen that in any of the gyms I've been to, but I really like the idea and hope it turns out well for you. Personally I prefer and use my phone connected to a tiny Bluetooth device. Simple solution, phone in my bag, BT device clipped to my t-shirt and inear phones playing whatever I want.
Spotify "jukebox" at the gym - CRAZY-HORSE - 02-02-2017
sounds like it could be a winner bob_32, but like you said, as long as it doesn't get hijacked by certain individuals at the gym, everyone will get their choices played