Music playing while on hold - who writes those songs??

[cantdrv55]

I called my employer’s customer service line on behalf of a big customer to save them the grief. I heard the “hold” music for the first time. It sounds straight out of a porno flick from the ‘70s. It’s embarrassing. Who writes these things? I’m betting we didn’t even vet the music.

[Por_sha911]

Otis Elevators

[RANDY P]

Call a certain pet food company down south and you hear my voice. I was the voice model, and designer, and installer.

rjp

[stevej37]

Ron Jeremy

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I heard the “hold” music for the first time. It sounds straight out of a porno flick from the ‘70s. It’s embarrassing.

You can just act like you don't recognize the music. No one will know you've been watching 70s porn and you won't have to be embarrassed.

[cantdrv55]

Lol

[MRM]

You probably heard what is referred to as Cisco's Opus Number One. Some people love it so much they go out of their way to listen to it on purpose. There's a funny story behind it. It was "composed" by a couple of 1980s Silicon Valley teens in their parents' garage. They envisioned themselves as the next Vanilla Ice or Eminem and were trying to create new electronic rhythms and become famous musicians. This is the best they came up with.

A few years later one of the kids worked for an up-and-coming tech company called Cisco that was rolling out its automated telephone system. Junior was able to get his high school-era composition chosen as Cisco's default setting for hold music. The rest is history.

The whole (very fun) story is here.https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/the-strange-story-of-ciscos-sort-of-beloved-hold-music/283262/

The only sad part of the story is that neither of them ever made any other music that anyone else ever heard. Opus Number One remains their magnum opus.

[herr_oberst]

It was he, Barry Manilow who wrote the songs.

[cantdrv55]

Ha ha

[Joe Bob]

Originally Posted by MRM

You probably heard what is referred to as Cisco's Opus Number One. Some people love it so much they go out of their way to listen to it on purpose. There's a funny story behind it. It was "composed" by a couple of 1980s Silicon Valley teens in their parents' garage. They envisioned themselves as the next Vanilla Ice or Eminem and were trying to create new electronic rhythms and become famous musicians. This is the best they came up with.

A few years later one of the kids worked for an up-and-coming tech company called Cisco that was rolling out its automated telephone system. Junior was able to get his high school-era composition chosen as Cisco's default setting for hold music. The rest is history.

The whole (very fun) story is here.https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/the-strange-story-of-ciscos-sort-of-beloved-hold-music/283262/

The only sad part of the story is that neither of them ever made any other music that anyone else ever heard. Opus Number One remains their magnum opus.

But did they get any residuals or up front money?

EDIT: I just answered my own question....no dinero, but he did issue a copyright hold on the YT recording imbedded inn the referenced link.

[pwd72s]

I assumed it was selected to make you quit staying on hold. That they really wanted you to give up.

[Noah930]

My money's on Gogar.

[KFC911]

^^^ Nah ... those would be day jobs .

Love the comnercials with Chuck Berry riffs tho'... no idea what the ads are about ... but my foot taps along...

"It wasn't me...."

[GH85Carrera]

When the IRS decided I had earned no money one year for my future Social Security payments I called them. I was on hold for 90 minutes and they just played the Nutcracker on a loop. It was December but it did not put me in a Christmas mood. Especially when after all that it was not resolved and I had to go in person to the office to find an competent employee that fixed it 5 seconds on the computer.

[Mike Andrew]

I suspect Burt Bacharach may have one or two looping somewhere.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by MRM

You probably heard what is referred to as Cisco's Opus Number One. Some people love it so much they go out of their way to listen to it on purpose. There's a funny story behind it. It was "composed" by a couple of 1980s Silicon Valley teens in their parents' garage. They envisioned themselves as the next Vanilla Ice or Eminem and were trying to create new electronic rhythms and become famous musicians. This is the best they came up with.

A few years later one of the kids worked for an up-and-coming tech company called Cisco that was rolling out its automated telephone system. Junior was able to get his high school-era composition chosen as Cisco's default setting for hold music. The rest is history.

The whole (very fun) story is here.https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/the-strange-story-of-ciscos-sort-of-beloved-hold-music/283262/

The only sad part of the story is that neither of them ever made any other music that anyone else ever heard. Opus Number One remains their magnum opus.

Funny, I used to work on the Cisco TAC, and among other things, I actually supported CallManager for a period. I'm very familiar with the standard Cisco hold music (I hate it, makes me want to gouge my ears with a hot poker). I hadn't ever heard the story behind it. It's probably a good thing that this was the last thing that the guys managed to make. It could be weaponized if it got into the wrong hands.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by MRM

You probably heard what is referred to as Cisco's Opus Number One.

Cisco:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqB8v14U_zs

Burt Bacharach's (maybe) Nintendo Jurassic Park elevator music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoxIFOoEBn0

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

It was he, Barry Manilow who wrote the songs.

True fact: Manilow has written a bunch of very recognized product commercial theme songs.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Cisco:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqB8v14U_zs

Burt Bacharach's (maybe) Nintendo Jurassic Park elevator music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoxIFOoEBn0

Yep, that first link will give me nightmares!

[Embraer]

KPM....or they did probably a long time ago. My GF calls it elevator music whenever I listen to it at home.