Imagine yourself standing in a lobby, say at dawn with your briefcase, or late afternoon waiting for a dentist visit. The wall is covered in a plain picture, plastic plants, maybe a fish tank, and—listener closer—quietly music is flowing through everything. Few people, at least not deliberately, pay close attention to what such speakers are saying. But let the playlist go into awkward terrain; suddenly everyone is glaring in the same direction and is wriggling. That is the subdued power of background music.

While décor catches your sight, music transforms the essence of the space when you are in between front door and next stop. Enter a lobby with soft, calm instrumentals and feel as though someone has covered your tense energy with a comforting blanket. Try that same place with strong EDM at ten in the morning and see folks hightail it back to the sidewalk. Silence is the most awful soundtrack; unusual music selections might be far worse.

Selecting lobby music is not about turning off and plugging in. It is equally about reading the area and crowd as it is about reading sheet music. Think first of volume; too soft will be embarrassing. Too loud, and it is anarchy. Next, lyrics: chatter from the speakers can contradict dialogues or completely change the tone. You want something that helps rather than causes distraction. It takes some work to walk the unspoken line separating elevator-musicians from relaxing snooze fest.

The true test is… Someone is passing by. For all kinds of life, lobbies are crossroads: parents juggling little children, teenagers hooked to their phones, conference-bound executives. The playlist must appeal to everyone—or at least avoid bothering anyone. Recall the day a yoga class unintentionally turned on punk rock in the lobby? Let’s just say the crowd was stretching, but not for the proper reasons.

A little local taste has amazing power. Surf guitar sounds while people swing their umbrellas, or piano that slides directly into the hum of the HVAC, a smooth bossa nova in the dead of winter. Anything too repetitious; even the friendliest receptionist can start to mouche, “Make it stop.” But a varied blend adjusted to the time of day makes the daily process of waiting just a little less unpleasant.

Good lobby music does not call for attention. If anything, it helps you concentrate elsewhere—that is, let your brain stray as the songs maintain consistent feelings and calmed-down nerves. The nicest complement is When folks avoid discussing the music. Alternatively you know you have found the sweet spot if someone silently nods along and taps their feet.

Creating those playlists calls for some honest trial and error, some intuition, and maybe a snap poll of whoever is lingering about. Is anyone else frowning listening to this song? People appear more laid back now. You are most likely getting it if you sense the space change—lighter, friendlier, less uptight. Ultimately, the correct music helps you to forget about your waiting at all. And in lobby land, that is a subdued little triumph.