A University of York study commissioned by mobile provider Talkmobile found that music with country and rock influences — described by researchers as similar to the work of artists such as Taylor Swift — produced the most favorable responses from people placed on hold.
Led by music psychologist Dr. Mimi O'Neill, the team put 2,540 participants through a controlled on‑hold experiment in which listeners were left waiting for two minutes and 22 seconds while one of 10 audio tracks was played. Researchers monitored physiological and psychological measures, including heart rate, mood and alertness, to assess the impact of each track on the callers' experience.
The study played hours of songs and sounds to participants to simulate real call‑waiting conditions and recorded reactions to identify which musical styles improved or worsened the on‑hold experience. Dr. O'Neill said the results pointed to a preference for a "modern‑day fusion based with its roots" in country and rock, and that an artist like Taylor Swift would align with those findings.
"Both country and rock scored well in our research, so a modern‑day fusion based with its roots in those genres would seem to be the perfect hold music," Dr. O'Neill said. "This isn't just about customer satisfaction, it's about how sound and music can influence human behaviour and emotional well‑being in everyday situations."
Talkmobile commissioned the research as part of efforts to refine its customer‑service offering and to test how different audio choices affect callers' experiences. The provider said the study complements its broader focus on service quality, though it has not announced plans to alter its hold‑music playlist based on the findings.
Researchers emphasized that the experiment sought to recreate a realistic waiting experience. Participants listened to a variety of tracks and nonmusical sounds while investigators measured changes in physiological markers and self‑reported mood and alertness. The study aimed to move beyond subjective liking to examine measurable effects of audio on caller state.
Experts in consumer experience and music psychology have long noted that hold music can influence perceived wait time and emotional response. Companies use on‑hold audio to manage caller frustration, convey brand identity and maintain engagement. This study adds empirical data suggesting that certain genre characteristics may be more effective at producing calmness and positive mood during short holds.
The researchers reported that country and rock elements tended to elicit more favorable physiological and mood responses than other tested sounds, though the study did not recommend specific artists or songs for universal use. It also did not release a ranked list of every audio track used in the experiment.
The study's authors framed the findings within a broader consideration of how everyday sound environments affect well‑being. They noted that thoughtfully chosen audio could improve customers' experiences in service settings, but that further research is needed to test long‑term effects, cultural variation and how familiarity with particular artists or songs might change responses.
For companies that manage large volumes of customer calls, the study provides data to inform choices about hold‑music strategy and the potential to reduce caller stress. Researchers said future work could explore tailoring audio to specific customer segments or testing interactive hold experiences, while continuing to measure both subjective satisfaction and objective physiological indicators.