Trends of 2022 through the lens of music

Iina Huikari
Minutes to read 4
Jan 25, 2024 3:44:04 PM

It's time to turn our attention to the upcoming year and the new trends it brings. The interior design and fashion trends of 2022 promise soft tones, minimalism, and a touch of the 70s. As a counterbalance to the COVID crisis, the Dutch term NIKSEN has emerged, meaning doing nothing - a space where the mind can wander aimlessly. But how do the trends of 2022 affect music? We got the answer from our music expert, Matti.

The significance of music in well-being

The time spent at home has kept tranquil music on the rise for the past few years, and this popularity will continue even beyond the confines of home. Many of us have noticed the positive impact of music on well-being – it's an easy way to reduce stress and hasten recovery.

The need for resetting emerges through acoustic elements and the fusion of traditional instruments with electronic music. In the upcoming year, there's a preference for rhythmless, slow-paced music that aligns with the ideology of NIKSEN trend. Our music expert, Matti, recommends focusing on creating a sense of security through music: ”People are longing to return to restaurants but have grown accustomed to a more serene environment. Using slow-paced and familiar music can support a homely atmosphere and evoke a sense of security.”

 

 

In which situations is it advisable to play tranquil music?

Regardless of the time, environments aiming to create a relaxing and slow-paced ambiance, such as spas. Mornings and evenings, for instance, in restaurants and hotels. Suitable playlists for the ambiance in Feelment include, for example, Chill Pop, Chillout Lounge, Morning Coffee, and Soft Soul.

Buildings depicted from below and the text: Chill Pop.
The hotel's exterior doors and the building facade along with the text: Chillout Lounge.
A coffee cup, an opened book, note-taking tools, and a phone on the table along with the text: Morning Coffee.
Lobby space with wooden posts, round lamps, green chairs, wooden tables, and the text: Soft Soul.

 

 

New and Old: Technology Meets the 70s

The importance of recycling has found its place in people's daily lives, and this is also evident in the music world through reuse. The upcoming year's pop music strongly emphasizes remix versions, as the trend is to dress old songs in new attire. Pop music combines elements of the 70s disco – a rolling drumbeat, guitars, bass, and disco violins bring back the danceability of music.

Most of the pop songs released in recent years were not primarily aimed at nightclubs, as the prevailing tranquility has also affected music creators. However, people long for the dance floors, so the rhythms familiar from the 70s and steadily released dance and house hits are precisely what we crave. These super hits have been waiting to shine; they are well-known yet not worn out and are sure to dominate the dance floors when nightclubs fully reopen. Add some pep to your day by playing Feelment's Feel Good Pop, Feel Good Folk, and Feel Good Soul playlists.

 

Pink background with golden lines and the text: Feel Good Pop.
Reddish-yellow background with greenish lines and the text: Feel Good Folk.
Greenish-blue background with golden lines and the text: Feel Good Soul.

 

The Minimalism of Techno Brings Luxury

Techno music and its influences are poised to become more mainstream in the coming year than ever before. The modern techno scene's emphasis on minimalism and repetitive rhythms supports mental decluttering. Minimalistic traits will be heard in certain parts of songs, such as the choruses of dance hits, where the focus may be on just drums and bass, for instance. A steady, train-like pushing rhythm doesn’t trigger excessive stimuli and works as meditative music.

Minimalistic, soft, and modern electronic music is an easy way to evoke a sense of luxury, as lesser-known music creates an upscale atmosphere. This type of music serves as an excellent replacement for traditional background music.

 

In what situations is it advisable to play modern techno and its sub-genres?

In bars and nightclubs aiming for a youthful and sophisticated vibe. The softer tracks of modern techno can be used as background music in lounge areas, hotel lobbies, and cocktail bars. Modern, minimalist, and instrumental background music can be found on Feelment's playlists: Downtempo Beats (slow-paced), Lo-Fi Jazzy Beats (medium-paced), Modern Lounge (medium-paced), and Deep Lounge House (fast-paced).

Dimly lit urban landscape with the text: Downtempo Beats.
Cityscape with the text: Lo-Fi Jazzy Beats.
Stairs with a person at the top and the text: Modern Lounge.
Chairs and a bar counter along with the text: Deep Lounge House.

 

Feelment creates a modern sense of luxury on the dance floor with playlists like Techno, Fresh House, and Dance Deluxe.

DJ booth with the text: Techno.
Greenish-blue background with the text: Fresh House.
People dancing on a terrace on a summer evening with the text: Dance Deluxe.

 

Playlists for the new year

We create new playlists in Feelment's selection based on musical phenomena as they emerge or re-emerge. And most importantly: we create new playlists from our customers' suggestions. You can send us suggestions for new playlists or updates needed for existing ones. We update playlists on a weekly basis, some more frequently than others, depending on the nature of the lists. Feelment features annually updated Finnish pop, pop, and dance playlists that change with the seasons. Currently, the lists go by the names 2022 Winter Suomipop, 2022 Winter Pop, and 2022 Winter Dance.

Though we unfortunately can't celebrate the New Year in bars and nightclubs, it's worth preparing for the upcoming year by embracing new trends. People yearn for social interaction over good drinks and food, and meanwhile, they are compiling playlists with the best tracks from the past couple of years. When restaurants, bars, and clubs fill up with people again, it's good to show that we've stayed current and haven't been stuck in one place.

Staying on-trend is not just about how something looks but also about how it sounds.We are trendsetters when it comes to what the new year 2022 brings, and the same applies to places that don't want to follow the latest trends. Even then, it's worth tailoring the music strongly to the character of the place, such as playing honestly pure 80s-90s tunes. There's nothing wrong with that – quite the opposite! Each in their own style towards the new year, heading towards brighter times.

 

Introduction image of Matti, with information about him.

 

You might also be interested in:

👉 What kind of background music for a restaurant?

👉 Background music for a restaurant - What licenses do I need?