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Some people I have to do with frequently call music that plays in radio "Weichspülmusik", like

Diese Weichspülmusik möchte ich jetzt nicht hören.

I always wonder what that means. Can anyone please clarify?

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    Softrock, but without Rock.
    – user unknown
    Feb 20, 2012 at 6:52

4 Answers 4

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In German "Weichspüler" is a fabric conditioner. In TV commercials they always have a very smooth and soft music to underline the softness of fabric after being treated with their product.

Here is an example for this.

Whenever people refer to "Weichspülmusik" they mean this kind of mainstream but very soft music. Another saying for similar music is "Kaufhausmusik" (music being played in shopping centers to make people buy more) and "Fahrstuhlmusik" (elevator music).

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    There's a wonderful term for "Kaufhausmusik" and especially "Fahrstuhlmusik" in English: Muzak.
    – Jürgen A. Erhard
    Jun 26, 2011 at 1:32
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    Muzak is a trademark. Elevator music is the most common non-trademark term for this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzak_Holdings
    – hippietrail
    Jun 27, 2011 at 7:46
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    @Joachim: Yes I think most people learn the generic sense of muzak before the learn it's a trademark as did I. Still it's worth warning people depending on what context they may wish to use it in English.
    – hippietrail
    Jun 27, 2011 at 8:21
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    I already heard Janis Joplin in a Supermarket.
    – user unknown
    Jun 27, 2011 at 20:50
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    @user unknown: but Janis Joplin is never ever "Weichspülmusik" ;)
    – Takkat
    Jun 27, 2011 at 20:56
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The word literally means "fluffy music".

A Google search doesn't reveal anything explicit, but it looks to me like it refers to cheap, happy, pop music with little substance but high sales value. Think X Factor exports.

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Manchmal meinen die Leute allerdings auch, dass die Musik etwas unterschwellig vermittelt (Brain-Wash).

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For me everything outside heavy metal is "Weichspülmusik". It is also a question of personal music taste. For some is this or that music genre great music, for others the same genre Weichspülmusik or simply Weichspüler

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    Hi Thomas! Willkommen auf german.SE! Dein Beitrag ist eher eine Antwort darauf, was du als Weichspülmusik empfindest. Relevanter ist hier, was das Wort "Weichspülmusik" bedeutet. Ist dein Beitrag mehr als ein bloßer Meinungsbeitrag? Das lässt sich gegenwärtig nicht so richtig erkennen.
    – Jonathan Scholbach ♦
    Apr 10, 2022 at 19:16

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