Sea-Tac Airport introducing travelers to local music
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SEATAC, Wash. -- Sea-Tac Airport is trying to make its atmosphere more festive for travelers by doing away with the anonymous Muzak in favor of local musicians.
Airport officials have tapped some of the area's most famous musicians to kick off a program that gives travelers a chance to hear Seattle music as they enter or leave the airport.
Seattle's own Sir Mix-A-Lot is one of the featured artists. The Grammy award winning MC gained international fame with the 1992 hit "Baby Got Back," which was considered so edgy at the time that he was banned from daytime MTV.
"What was 'the edge' at my peak is now considered mainstream, right?" he said. "You can turn on any show now and butts are everywhere. I love it, more butts."
The times have changed, and Sir Mix-A-Lot is now a revered elder statesman of the Seattle hip hop community. He's also one of the local musicians who airport passengers will hear when they step off their plane at Sea-Tac.
"We not only want to celebrate our heritage, but also the up-and-coming artist," said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton.
Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix are among the 150 local artists now playing at the airport, and travelers are already noticing the difference.
"I think music's super important, it creates the ambiance," said traveler Todd Black.
Sea-Tac is one of the few airports in the country with its own music App with downloadable playlists and artist announcements.
"It's cool to see something as serious as Sea-Tac embrace the local arts," said Sir Mix-A-Lot. "It just trips me out. That's pretty bold."
The music program will start with a $25,000 budget funded mostly by the Port of Seattle.
Airport officials have tapped some of the area's most famous musicians to kick off a program that gives travelers a chance to hear Seattle music as they enter or leave the airport.
Seattle's own Sir Mix-A-Lot is one of the featured artists. The Grammy award winning MC gained international fame with the 1992 hit "Baby Got Back," which was considered so edgy at the time that he was banned from daytime MTV.
"What was 'the edge' at my peak is now considered mainstream, right?" he said. "You can turn on any show now and butts are everywhere. I love it, more butts."
The times have changed, and Sir Mix-A-Lot is now a revered elder statesman of the Seattle hip hop community. He's also one of the local musicians who airport passengers will hear when they step off their plane at Sea-Tac.
"We not only want to celebrate our heritage, but also the up-and-coming artist," said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton.
Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix are among the 150 local artists now playing at the airport, and travelers are already noticing the difference.
"I think music's super important, it creates the ambiance," said traveler Todd Black.
Sea-Tac is one of the few airports in the country with its own music App with downloadable playlists and artist announcements.
"It's cool to see something as serious as Sea-Tac embrace the local arts," said Sir Mix-A-Lot. "It just trips me out. That's pretty bold."
The music program will start with a $25,000 budget funded mostly by the Port of Seattle.
The cool thing about this is that it is NOT "Muzak". I've got friends whose music will be a part of this. What a great way for them to be exposed to a HUGE audience. Maybe some currently undisovered talent will be "the next big thing to come out of the Northwest" when heard by the "right" ears.Â
Someone already probably Muzak-ed big butts! Â Half the fun of listening to Muzak is figuring out what the song is. Â But this is pretty cool. Â We saw live band at an airport recently, but it was overseas. Â That was a fun diversion to the mundane humdrum of airport wandering.
This is great to hear! Can I get some Mackelmore too? It's about time that you capitalized on the great culture we have in Seattle! This is something that should have been done a long time ago. I can only imagine that this is going to go over really well!
Oh great! We going to have to listen to this crap while waiting to board a plane! Anybody heard of passenger rage?
Obviously you are a transplant to Seattle.... If you don't like it well tough it! You'll get over it! Or just don't travel through Sea-Tac
@cougfan50 living in Seattle doesn't mean you need to like a certain kind of music, or maybe we should ban the Seattle Opera and Philharmonic? People have the right to like what they like.
@dBÂ Or you just don't have to go anywhere. Really? Bothers you that much? Maybe you should try to relax a bit.
I can't understand how the Sea Tac Airport and or the Port of Seattle can afford a $25,000.00 budget for music to be played in the terminal, but can't afford a budget for security in the Air Port Parking lot. Where mine and many others cars have been vandalized..... Priorities???
Anthony has always been a great ambassador for Northwest music. Love to hear Buttermilk Biscuits while waiting for my connecting flight! #WhereIsKidSensation
This is funny. They have been doing this at Seatac for sometime now, I worked at a facility at the airport last year and you heard the likes of:  The Postal Service, Heart, (I didn't hear Sir Mix A Lot) Pearl Jam, STP,  Death Cab for Cutie, Foo Fighters, Nirvana Jimi, Modest Mouse and a few others. It's pretty cool actually.
Hey, Seattle's a music town. Why not? Be sure to add Heart to that. I may not like all of it, but it's certainly better than that boring muzak any day of the week!
The reason that Muzak is everywhere is that it doesn't offend anyone. Â To be honest, though I'm a Seattle native, I really dislike Pearl Jam, Nirvana, *and* Jimi Hendrix. Â Yes, I know they were trendsetters, but that stuff is just not my cup of tea. Â I think its a cool idea to have it downloadable via a smart-phone app, but I really wouldn't want to have to listen to it played on the speakers in the airport concourse.
@magic_eye If you're really worried about that kind of stuff offending anyone, then you're not better than those morons complaining to the port about the Christmas/holiday trees there!
@Zoso @magic_eye Harsh Zoso, I just said it's not my cup of tea.  Didn't say I was going to complain to anyone, just not my preference.  Relax a bit.
@Zoso @magic_eye you know...you sounded really reactionary there. The thing about being online is that no one can see you're "not" personal.
@magic_eye Well I wasn't referring directly to you, just really kinda making the observation if anyone was really gonna be offended by that, as I know some probably would. Sorry if that seemed personal. Didn't mean it to sound that way.
This is an Awesome Idea! Seattle has a great Music History that should be Showcased....even if it is in a Airport!
Muzak is so.....Yawnn.......
WHY?
@Agent43 Muzak is so Yawwnnnn....
This will be better!