Peet’s and Pandora Partnership Plan Plays to Patrons’ Musical Palates

Trumpet legend Miles Davis is among the artists in Peet’s and Pandora’s “Jazz Giants” category

Peet’s Coffee & Tea and the music streaming service Pandora are teaming up for a Peet’s-branded radio station that will be played at all its U.S. retail stores. Pandora says this is the first time it has partnered for branded stations for use in brick-and-mortar environments.

The station will include a mix of music in genres it describes as eclectic classical , jazz giants , origins , and melodic indie — all curated by a 25-year Peet’s employee Patrick Main, whom Peet’s describes as their in-house music aficionado.

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“In looking at the store experience holistically, we wanted to create an atmosphere that reinforced our commitment to craftsmanship in everything we do,” Debbie Kristofferson, vice president of marketing at Peet’s, said in an announcement today. “The combination of songs personally selected by Peet’s with Pandora’s musicological expertise provides a fresh, constantly evolving music experience.”

Pandora has been an innovator in subscription-based online music streaming, with its Music Genome Project incorporating 450 musical characteristics to help define and cater to listeners’ music tastes. The company has also been widely accused of short-changing songwriters and the performance rights organizations that collect royalties on their behalf. (David Lowery of the band Cracker infamously called out the company last year in his piece “My Song Got Played On Pandora 1 Million Times and All I Got Was $16.89, Less Than What I Make From a Single T-Shirt Sale!”)

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Here’s more from Peet’s on what to expect from the music itself:

Peet’s curated music that is outside the mainstream, yet adventurous and warmly accessible. In working with Pandora, Peet’s set guidelines for each station and selected tracks and artists that pair well with their coffees. The music choices are a balance of what’s popular and trending, along with a more classic music selection that contributes to an inviting store environment.