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New research from Opinium for Startle asked 2,000 UK adults how music shapes the way they use pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and activity venues. Guests who say they reward good music are also two and a half times as likely to say bad music makes them walk out.* The full report is out in January.
Venue-goers who say they have rewarded a venue for its music are two and a half times as likely as other guests to say music has made them leave over bad music.
of venue-goers say music has at least sometimes made them leave early or not return to a venue. One in five (20%) say it has done so often.
of venue-goers say a special event, such as a quiz night, DJ night or live sports screening, drew them to a venue they might not otherwise have gone to.
*Startle analysis of Opinium’s respondent-level data.
Tuned In looks at where the music misses, what it costs and what guests say they do when it gets it right. It breaks the findings down by age and venue type, and looks at how live events change where guests choose to go.
It also sets out practical questions venues can ask of their own music, from who is in the room at different times of day to what the soundtrack is there to do.
Register now and we’ll send you Tuned In as soon as it’s published in January.
Guests aren’t hard to please, but they’re not indifferent either. The people who notice when the music is right are the same people who notice when it’s wrong, so a playlist designed not to offend anyone won’t win them. The music has to be chosen for the people in the room.
CEO, Startle
Startle creates and manages strategic audio-visual experiences to make hospitality brands unforgettable. Through effortless background music and digital signage, Startle ensures that hospitality environments go beyond “good enough” to become integral to brand building strategies and operational impact.
About the research.
Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults online between 20 and 23 October 2026. Data is weighted by age and gender, region and social grade; the margin of error for the full sample is ±2.2 percentage points. Figures on leaving early or not returning, and on events, are based on the 1,858 adults who visited a pub, bar, restaurant, café or activity venue in the last six months. *Startle’s own analysis of Opinium’s respondent-level data, not published or verified by Opinium. All figures are self-reported: what people say they felt and did, not measured footfall or sales. Full data tables are available on request: adawson@startlemusic.com.
