Background music is prerecorded music that is played in situations in which music is not the primary goal. Rather, it is intended for such purposes as providing a relaxing, soothing atmosphere and stimulating sales and worker productivity. However, it is not always successful in its intended goals, and, in fact, is sometimes counterproductive. That is, some people find it annoying, and it can actually reduce sales and worker productivity, increasingly so the louder and the more repetitively it is played.
Much background music can be considered mood music, although not all mood music is background music. It is often referred to as Muzak, which is the name one of the pioneers and largest suppliers of background music.