ATLANTA - Rock and roll, country, oldies, or rhythm and blues - regardless of format, Americans like their music. While Americans may have diverse taste in music, there are still many shared preferences regarding when they like to tune in. According to a survey on music listening habits released today by Harris Interactive/Crowne Plaza, the majority of people (66 percent) prefer waking up to music instead of an alarm buzzer (31 percent).
Researchers also found that more women than men (87:80 percent) said they listen to music at home, with more men than women (57:48 percent) tuning in at work. However, an overwhelming 90 percent of Americans, male and female, listen to music in their car.
Additionally, nearly 75 percent of people say the reason they listen to music is to relax. Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, knowing the comforting benefits of music, now offers guests the opportunity to relax in their hotel rooms the same way they would at home. The hotel brand recently launched Crowne Sound, an in-room music initiative providing guests with a variety of music offerings designed to enhance their experience and increase relaxation during their hotel stay.
“Crowne Plaza continually looks for ways to enhance the guest experience and we look forward to providing guests with the terrific offerings of Crowne Sound,” said Kevin Kowalski, vice president, brand management for Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts. “Research with travelers has demonstrated that an in-room CD player is an important hotel amenity. At Crowne Plaza, we have taken this one step further by offering a lending library, CD discounts, and other promotional opportunities for our guests.”
The Crowne Sound program will provide guests access to a broad range of musical artists and genres through in-room, in-hotel and online initiatives. All Crowne Plaza hotel rooms in the U.S., Canada and Mexico will feature a CD player/clock radio that will allow guests to wake to their own personal CD collection. In fact, according to the poll, more than 60 percent of respondents said they traveled with their own personal CDs. With the introduction of an in-room CD player, an offering formerly available at luxury and boutique hotels only, Crowne Plaza becomes the first brand in the upscale hotel segment to offer this amenity across all of its properties in North America.
Additional Crowne Sound offerings include:
- “Sounds Selections”: Crowne Plaza extends the program from the room to where ever you are. Music lovers may visit the Crowne Sound Web site (www.crownesound.com) to sample musical artists from across four musical “mood genres”: Relaxation, Invigoration, Interaction and Stimulation. This month’s selections feature tracks from new albums by Macy Gray, Willie Nelson, Yo-Yo Ma and John Mayer. Music selections change monthly and both new releases and old favorites are featured. Through the Web site, visitors can also purchase these CDs at a discounted cost.
- “Sound Prizes”: The Crowne Sound Web site (www.crownesound.com) offers monthly chances to win concert tickets, music CDs and autographed merchandise. Visitors may also enter online to win the Grand Prize “On the Town with Crowne Sound,” a weekend get-away for two to the 46th GRAMMY Awards in 2004. The package includes deluxe accommodations at Crowne Plaza, airfare, a shopping spree, limousine service, and two tickets to the GRAMMY Awards. Online entries will be accepted through Dec. 21, 2003.
- Crowne Sound CD Lending Library: This is an in-hotel CD library, available at participating Crowne Plaza hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, where guests may borrow CDs from the latest and greatest artists throughout their hotel stay.
- Crowne Plaza Compilation CD: Crowne Plaza guests will enjoy this exclusive CD, which features a unique collection of contemporary and classic songs from musical artists, both past and present. Guests will find the songs are organized in the same genres as those found on the Web site: Relaxation, Invigoration, Interaction and Stimulation. Each guestroom is equipped with the compilation CD.
The most surprising finding from the survey? Close to forty-five percent of Americans think that the 1970s still rule as the decade that produced the best music.

About the survey:
A nationally representative sample of 1,043 Americans ages 18 or older were interviewed by telephone using an unrestricted Random Digit Dialing (RDD) technique that significantly reduces serial bias and ensures that respondents with both listed and unlisted numbers are reached. Only one interview was conducted per household.

Interviews were conducted April 10, 2003 to April 13, 2003. To ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the total national adult population, completed interviews were weighted to known proportions for age, gender, geographic region, and race. The margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus 3%.

Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts is “The Place To Meet.” The ideal upscale hotel choice for small- to medium-sized business meetings, Crowne Plaza provides personalized service and one point of contact for hassle-free, successful meetings. In addition to superior meetings offerings, Crowne Plaza? hotels provide quality fitness facilities, exceptional room accommodations and upscale dining. With more than 190 hotels and 55,000 guest rooms in 49 countries, Crowne Plaza hotels are located in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations worldwide. For reservations, call 1-800-2-CROWNE or go to www.crowneplaza.com. For meetings, call 1-800-MEETING.
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