Short answer: music that’s calm, pleasant, and matches your salon’s brand and clients — think mellow downtempo, soft jazz/neo‑soul, acoustic pop, lo‑fi chillhop, or modern lounge. Keep it warm, not intrusive, and make sure you have the right public‑performance license (see bottom).

How to choose the “best” music (quick rules)

• Match mood to service: slower, ambient music for spa/treatment rooms; slightly more upbeat but still relaxed for cutting/styling stations.
• Keep volume low — music should be felt, not shouted. Aim so clients can easily talk to staff (background level).
• Avoid aggressive/explicit lyrics or highly polarizing songs.
• Use a consistent sound palette (instruments, tempo, vocal style) so the room feels cohesive.
• Vary energy during the day: calmer mornings, livelier late afternoons if your clientele prefers it.
• Consider client demographics (age, cultural mix) and time of day.
• Rotate and refresh playlists monthly to avoid listener fatigue.

Good genres and when to use them

• Ambient/Modern classical (treatment rooms, relaxation): calming, unobtrusive.
• Neo‑soul / soft R&B (upscale but warm): great for color and styling.
• Acoustic singer‑songwriter / easy pop (friendly, intimate salons).
• Downtempo electronic / chillout / lounge (contemporary, trendy salons).
• Lo‑fi hip‑hop / chillhop (casual, youthful boutiques).
• Instrumental jazz / bossa nova (timeless, classy vibe).

Tempo guideline

• Spa/relaxation: 50–75 BPM (slow, breathing space).
• Styling/cutting: 70–100 BPM (comfortable, steady).
• Lively boutique: up to ~110 BPM but keep instrumentation mellow.

Example playlist seeds (mix these types) Relaxing / Spa

• Ludovico Einaudi — "Nuvole Bianche"
• Ólafur Arnalds — "Near Light"
• Brian Eno — "An Ending (Ascent)"
• Enya — "Only Time"

Neo‑soul / Soft R&B

• Sade — "Smooth Operator"
• Norah Jones — "Don't Know Why"
• Corinne Bailey Rae — "Put Your Records On"
• Leon Bridges — "Coming Home"

Downtempo / Chill / Lounge

• Zero 7 — "Destiny"
• Thievery Corporation — "Lebanese Blonde"
• Bonobo — select instrumental tracks
• Tycho — select tracks

Lo‑fi / Chillhop / Instrumental

• Nujabes — "Feather"
• Lo‑fi/chillhop instrumentals and mixes (search “lo‑fi chillhop instrumental”)

Classic jazz/acoustic touches

• Miles Davis — select mellow pieces
• Chet Baker — mellow vocal/instrumental tracks
• Jack Johnson or John Mayer — stripped acoustic, upbeat but relaxed

Operational tips

• Use crossfade (3–6s) to avoid dead air.
• Build 2–3 playlists by energy level (calm, mid, upbeat) and switch depending on bookings/time.
• Keep playlists at least 3–6 hours long so clients don’t hear the same songs repeatedly.
• Let stylists flag songs that bother clients or staff for removal.
• Add small seasonal changes (spring fresh, holiday subtlety) to keep things current.

Licensing reminder (important)

• Playing music in a public business is a “public performance” and typically requires licensing (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC in the U.S.). Consumer streaming accounts (regular Spotify, Apple Music) are not licensed for business use. Use a service that provides commercial licensing (examples: Soundtrack Your Brand, Rockbot, Cloud Cover Music, Mood Media, etc.) or obtain the appropriate performance license for your salon to avoid fines.

If you want, I can:

• Build a 3‑hour curated playlist for a specific salon vibe (luxury spa, trendy boutique, family salon), or
• Suggest specific commercial music services to subscribe to based on budget and features. Which would you prefer?