Gap In-Store Playlists

Has anyone else worked in retail and loved the music where you worked?

One of the greatest benefits of being employed by Gap from 1992 to 2006 was the excellent and varied selection of music played in stores. Each month, Gap locations would receive the current 4-hour tape or CD to play throughout the month. Music often went along with the seasons and clothing collections.

During my time with Gap, I collected the monthly in-store playlists that would come with each tape or CD, so that I could know the artists and songs playing. These were paper inserts that arrived with the tapes/CDs and contained the names of the artists, the song titles, and even the specific mixes. I really enjoyed trying to recreate the Gap in-store playlists for each month from those years. When I still had the paper playlists for almost every month, I slowly took my time buying songs and CDs here and there, gradually making playlists on my computer.

However, in a move in 2006, I lost the box which contained the dozens of Gap in-store playlists, which was very disappointing. In 2010, I luckily found copies of almost twenty duplicates that I had saved, so I was able to restart from there.

Because of my blog, in February 2017, I was fortunate to meet another former Gap Employee who has shared almost three dozen playlists from 1993 to 2000 so far, which has been incredibly helpful. But I still need many more.

I also love in-store playlists from Old Navy, The Limited, and Abercrombie & Fitch.

I know this is a weird hobby but was wondering if anyone else had a similar obsession. (And if you saved any Gap playlists, please let me know!).

Seeking Gap In-Store Playlists

a reply to: GapPlaylists

NO...I have worked retail before and in doing so I always hated the songs that they played even if I liked the song before. But a hobby is a hobby and I will not fault you for it.
I will listen to the playlist in respect to your hobby. You better not disappoint man!

BTW your link is broken. Send me a PM if you need help.

ETA: here ya go dude...non broken link

a reply to: GapPlaylists

I used to work for the company that I’m pretty sure programmed their music. Basically the company had propietary music players that they rented or sold to retailers. The contract included all of the licensing necessary to play the music in a public commerce type setting. The more prominent retailers could pay a larger fee and get their own personal Music Designer that helped promote their brand through great music.

I worked in the department that recorded and scheduled ads to be played overhead (like in grocery stores) or on-hold when customers called in.

The company was called DMX, and then a larger company purchased our rival (Muzak) and then purchased DMX and merged the two into Mood Media. A couple years after the merger I was let go because my job was redundant in my market (Austin).

Check out Mood Media or look on LinkedIn for Music Designers who work there and reach out! Maybe they could give out older playlist info.

It was a fun place to work!

I own and operate a retail establishment, along with my partners and we let the employees bring their own CDs to play at work. We get everything from Mozart to McGraw. No Rap allowed!!

originally posted by: olaru12
I own and operate a retail establishment, along with my partners and we let the employees bring their own CDs to play at work. We get everything from Mozart to McGraw. No Rap allowed!!

Please tell me you get some RHCP!?

Is this shameless self promotion?

4 hours of music to last a month worth of 8 hour shifts?

Insanity.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou

originally posted by: olaru12
I own and operate a retail establishment, along with my partners and we let the employees bring their own CDs to play at work. We get everything from Mozart to McGraw. No Rap allowed!!

Please tell me you get some RHCP!?

Them and Willie for contrast.

originally posted by: olaru12

originally posted by: Allaroundyou

originally posted by: olaru12
I own and operate a retail establishment, along with my partners and we let the employees bring their own CDs to play at work. We get everything from Mozart to McGraw. No Rap allowed!!

Please tell me you get some RHCP!?

Them and Willie for contrast.

Nice!

originally posted by: Allaroundyou

originally posted by: olaru12
I own and operate a retail establishment, along with my partners and we let the employees bring their own CDs to play at work. We get everything from Mozart to McGraw. No Rap allowed!!

Please tell me you get some RHCP!?

Right hand corporal punishment?

originally posted by: raedar
a reply to: GapPlaylists

Check out Mood Media or look on LinkedIn for Music Designers who work there and reach out! Maybe they could give out older playlist info.

LinkedIn helped get me in the door with Mood Media who spent a year trying to find the Gap playlists in their archives. This Summer they concluded that a major server upgrade two years ago had wiped out all of the playlists from Gap. I'm still glad they tried so that that avenue can be crossed off. MM still follows me on Twitter!

Gap did not save anything but they have helped as best as they can. They have used the recovered playlists on my blog to restart their historical archives, so it's nice to have been a big part of that.

At this point, it looks like my only hope is for others who saved their stores's copies of the playlists to share them with me.

I tried to post a photo of a Gap playlist but it did not work, so I will in the next post.

From 20 years ago is the December 1998 Gap In-Store Playlist, which is one of my all-time Holiday favorites!

1.bp.blogspot.com... 2BGap.jpeg

originally posted by: and14263

originally posted by: Allaroundyou

originally posted by: olaru12
I own and operate a retail establishment, along with my partners and we let the employees bring their own CDs to play at work. We get everything from Mozart to McGraw. No Rap allowed!!

Please tell me you get some RHCP!?

Right hand corporal punishment?

Can’t tell if your being serious or not?

If not I’m talking about the Red Hot Chili Peppers!

a reply to: Allaroundyou

As a bass player I completely know what you meant

Respectable reply though, thanks!

Double bubble.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: GapPlaylists

BTW your link is broken.

ETA: here ya go dude...non broken link

Thank you very much!

originally posted by: and14263
a reply to: Allaroundyou

As a bass player I completely know what you meant

Respectable reply though, thanks!

Not a problem at all.

originally posted by: GapPlaylists

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: GapPlaylists

BTW your link is broken.

ETA: here ya go dude...non broken link

Thank you very much!

I noticed you nailed it! Nice man. And also happy to help.

If you are looking for a great Holiday Mix, one of my favorites is the December 2003 Gap In-Store Playlist.

December 2003 Gap Playlist

GapBody and babyGap In-Store Playlists always contained more Jazz and Swing than Gap and GapKids Playlists.

The year 2003 has several very interesting and enjoyable playlists for GapBody and babyGap, if anyone wants to see what those were like.

Gap In-Store Playlists 2003

Xmas came early for me! My source just sent me the September 1997 Gap In-Store Playlist!

That means that I now once again have ALL of the Gap Playlists for the year 1997.

Gap In-Store Playlists 1997