Short answer: yes, surgeons listen to music during surgery, and far more often than most patients realize. Multiple surveys put the number at roughly nine in ten surgeons, and the practice is backed by decades of research into how music affects focus, stress, and performance in high-stakes environments.
In a 2017 survey of nearly 700 surgeons and healthcare professionals across more than 50 countries, Spotify and the medical app Figure 1 found that 90% of surgeons and surgical residents listen to music while operating, and 89% said they prefer full playlists over single albums.
A more recent 2022–2023 study of surgeons in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, published as the BRAHMS Study, found that 76% of surgeons enjoy having music in the operating theatre, and most said it improved their temperament and reduced how mentally fatiguing and stressful a procedure felt.
So if you’re headed into an operating room yourself, there’s a good chance your surgical team has a playlist queued up. Below, we break down why surgeons play music, what they’re actually listening to, and what the research says about the effects. Plus what any business trying to create a focused, calming environment can learn from the OR.
Why Surgeons Listen to Music During Surgery
Surgery is, by nature, a high-stress task performed under time pressure with zero margin for error. Researchers have spent nearly two decades studying how music affects surgeons and surgical teams in that environment, and a few consistent themes show up across the literature:
It helps surgeons stay focused. A systematic review published in the International Journal of Surgery found strong evidence that music improves surgical task performance — in one study of plastic surgery trainees, listening to preferred music during a simulated wound-closure task reduced operative time by 8%, with upper-level trainees seeing a 10% improvement.
It reduces stress and supports better outcomes under pressure. Another systematic review comparing operating conditions found that surgeons scored significantly higher on performance measures when listening to classical music or working in silence, compared to environments with hard rock playing or background chatter. The takeaway was that the right music, at the right volume, tends to outperform noise and distraction.
It smooths communication and team dynamics. In the BRAHMS Study, vascular surgeons in particular reported that music had a positive influence on communication in the operating theatre, and surgical residents reported significantly better temperament and lower stress when music was playing, compared to senior consultants.
It may reduce patient anxiety and opioid use, too. A meta-analysis covering 33 studies found that music played during surgery was associated with a statistically significant reduction in postoperative opioid requirements.
What Kind of Music Do Surgeons Actually Listen To?
According to the same 2017 Spotify/Figure 1 survey, the most popular genres among operating surgeons were:
- Rock: 49%
- Pop: 48%
- Classical: 43% (down from 58% in a 2008 survey)
- Jazz: 24%
- R&B: 21%
Rock topping the list surprises a lot of people, but surgeons surveyed described it as a way to feel calm and locked in rather than amped up. One vascular and transplant surgeon at Mount Sinai told Spotify that listening to music from his own youth “brings me to a calm, focused place.”
Individual surgeons often have very specific tastes tied to the procedure itself. Cardiac surgeons frequently gravitate toward classical composers like Rachmaninoff and Chopin; some surgeons build entire playlists around tempo, aiming for a beat that keeps the surgical pace steady without ramping up adrenaline. And when patients are awake for a procedure, some surgical teams will actually take song requests from the patient.
What This Means Beyond the Operating Room
The right music, when played thoughtfully, can reduce stress, sharpen focus, and improve how a team performs under pressure, but this isn’t unique to medical teams. It applies to almost any business environment where people need to concentrate, stay calm, and work well together: medical offices, dental practices, professional services firms, retail floors during a rush.
That’s the same principle behind background music for business. The goal isn’t just “nice ambiance” — it’s using licensed, professionally curated audio to shape the tone of an environment, the way surgical teams use music to manage focus and stress in the OR.
A few parallels worth pointing out for any business thinking about this:
- Genre and tempo matter more than volume. The surgical research consistently found that moderate tempo and controlled emotional intensity beat both silence and jarring, high-energy tracks. The right music can lower perceived wait times and stress; the wrong music (or the wrong volume) can actively work against you.
- Context should drive the playlist. Surgeons change what they’re listening to based on the phase of the operation. Businesses should think the same way. A morning playlist for a medical office waiting room doesn’t need to be the same as what plays during a Friday evening rush at a restaurant.
- Licensing isn’t optional. Just as hospitals need properly licensed commercial audio to stay compliant, any business playing music publicly needs a commercial license. Streaming a personal Spotify or Apple Music account in a place of business isn’t licensed for commercial use and can expose a business to real risk.
How Surgical Centers Use Commercial Music Systems
This is exactly why so many surgery centers and hospital systems turn to a dedicated commercial background music solution rather than a personal streaming app or a Bluetooth speaker someone brought from home.
A well-designed surgical suite audio package typically includes:
- A commercial-grade, business-licensed music service — such as SiriusXM Music for Business — with dozens of curated channels spanning nearly every genre, so each surgical suite can select the mood that works for that team and that procedure.
- A dedicated single-room audio system with independent volume control, so each operating room can be adjusted to the preference of the surgical team working in it — turned down during a critical moment, brought back up during routine, repetitive tasks.
- A compact, wall-mounted player placed for easy access without taking up valuable space in a sterile environment.
- Full commercial licensing, so the hospital or surgery center is fully compliant — an important consideration for any healthcare provider, since playing unlicensed music in a place of business (including a hospital) can create legal and compliance exposure.
Doctors who’ve implemented systems like this consistently report the same things surgeons describe in the research: music changes the atmosphere of the room, helps keep the surgical team relaxed and in sync, and supports the kind of focused, steady pace that a long surgical day demands.
Bringing Music Into Your Surgery Center
If you’re evaluating background music for a surgical suite, medical office, or any part of a healthcare facility, the research is clear on a few things: music can genuinely help with focus, stress, and team performance, but it needs to be the right music, played thoughtfully, through a properly licensed system.
If you’re interested in implementing a music program into your surgery center, call our team at 1-800-684-7050. Our sales engineers will build a custom quote for your facility, including full equipment specifications, images of the background music player hardware, and the best business playlists.