​​The Toe-Tapping Music You're Most Likely To Hear In Trader Joe's (Customers Love It!)

It is no secret that Trader Joe's has developed an almost fanatical following. With just over stores in 43 states, you'd practically have to be living under a rock to not be familiar with the store's off-beat culture, which has seemingly rational people lining up for its viral branded canvas totes. Everything in the Trader Joe's-iverse is highly curated and that even comes down to the music played in stores. If you've found yourself bopping along in-store to upbeat '80s tunes or top 40 hits, you aren't alone — these are among the most common types of music the stores play.

Trader Joe's has hit on a secret sauce of sorts with its quirky culture. From employees, called "crew members," who are casually chatty with customers as if they were friends, to private label products that people hoard, it's all part of the plan. A 2023 study published in The British Journal of Clinical Psychology found that those who listened to familiar upbeat songs had an increase in positive affect. So, there's something to a varied music playlist with well-worn tunes. Popular and universally known songs are more likely to equal happy customers — and happy customers are often happy and loyal shoppers.

Everything about the Trader Joe's experience is intentional. Store layouts are varied by location and moment, almost like a treasure hunt (there are even kids' treasure hunts set by crew members complete with stuffed animals to find). This variety is an invitation to slow down and check out new products, rather than tooling through the store robotically. The music soundtrack is another brilliant layer to that. If you are humming along, chatting with crew members along the way, and slowing down to check out new products, there's a decent chance you're in the moment and enjoying the shopping experience.

This approach is clearly working for Trader Joe's in spades. In fact, Trader Joe's was voted the No. 1 grocery store in the United States. The unique Trader Joe's store vibe has even been a source of its own music inspiration. Members of the band Dana and Alden released a song called "Let's Go To Trader Joe's" that went viral. While you happily saunter through the aisles listening to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac or "Yellow" by Coldplay (two jams you might here on the store's speakers), arm yourself with these Trader Joe's secrets to maximize your TJ's enjoyment: remember that you can return anything (even open items if you aren't satisfied), you can ask a crew member to try any product in the store, and you should never sleep on special products (like a limited edition "Red Red Wine"), because once they are gone, they may not be re-stocked.