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The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms the Way We Think, Feel, and Buy
A surprising look at the hidden power of sound, revealing how people and brands can use it to inspire and persuade — or annoy From horror movie scores to national anthems to the crunchy sound of potato chips, sound and music greatly impact how we feel about our lives and the messages and products we encounter every day. With the right tools and understanding, anyone can cut through the meaningless noise competing for our attention and learn to use sound as a rich storytelling strategy. You don’t need to be a musician or a composer to harness the power of sound. Joel Beckerman explains how companies, brands, and individuals can strategically use sound to get to the core of their mission, influence how they’re perceived by their audiences, and gain a competitive advantage. The key to these sonic strategies involves creating “boom moments” — transcendent instants when sound connects with a listener’s emotional core. The Sonic Boom draws surprising insights from real world the way Disney parks score every second of their guests’ experience; how Chili’s restaurants uses lessons from evolutionary psychology to sell tons of sizzling fajitas, how the sound of a special edition Mustang’s engine is designed to make drivers feel like action-movie heroes. Sure to appeal to fans of Made to Stick and This Is Your Brain on Music , The Sonic Boom offers readers a powerful new vocabulary for sharing impactful messages with sound.
188 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2014
30 people are currently reading
563 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 20, 2015
God this book is fluff. The author takes an interesting subject that he obviously knows a large amount about and turns it into a 150 page advertisement for his services. It's obvious that his flat out rejection of hard science in his writing points to his assumption that there's something special, something only HE knows, about this subject. Ugh. Also, this book is horribly redundant, which is amazing since it is under 200 pages. I would skip this book- huge disappointment.
October 21, 2017
A wonderful subject, and one that I am very interested in. I spent most of my working life on the creative side of advertising, and the way music and sound act on people’s feelings and behaviour is highly relevant to anyone who works in that or any other marketing-related industry. Over and above this, I love music and have played an instrument for most of my life, am naturally attentive to the acoustics and ambient sounds of any environment I find myself in, and even studied the physics of music at university. I should have revelled in this book.
Instead, I regret to say, I found it superficial, repetitive, boastful and dull. Beckerman evidently knows what he’s talking about but he doesn’t know how to talk about it, or else he’s being coyly parsimonious with his hard-earned knowledge. You never really learn anything worth knowing about the creative decisions he talks of making, how a sonic strategy (his term) is developed, or why he and his clients decided that this sonic strategy worked and that one didn’t, except in the same sort of vague terms anyone might use – ‘it sounds too happy’ or ‘horns sound grand’. Well yes, it does, they do, but we were hoping for a little bit more. The penny really drops when he starts insisting that you can’t focus-group or lab-test sonic ideas – they’ll either work or they won’t. He offers no particular advice about deciding which ones might work and which might not.
In the end, there’s nothing here a working professional can use. Maybe young people in the business might get a few ideas out of it with a bit of lateral thinking. It’s hard to tell, though, who Beckerman really intends his book for. Half the time he seems to be talking to small entrepreneurs, mom-and-pop store owners; the rest he’s lamenting the unimaginative sonic ‘strategies’ of huge advertisers like Pepsi and McDonald’s or boasting about the way he rearranged John Williams’s Super Bowl score. Towards the end of the book he starts offering sonic-image counselling tips for job interviewees and ambitious executives – at which point one of the cases he references seems to suggest that, contrary to his repeated insistence, you can research this stuff – some aspects of it, anyway. By the time I got to this part, though, the author had used up all his credibility with me.
Joel Beckerman’s idea of the perfect use of sound to – let’s face it – manipulate people is Disney World. He goes into raptures over how the amusement-park chain uses the equivalent of sonic fencing and musical cattle-prods to distinguish and separate one attraction from the next, and to keep people moving through the park, successively stimulated, relaxed, put in a receptive mood and ushered with subliminal musical cues from one ride to the next, through the souvenir shop and, finally, out the door. Combine the author’s depressing enthusiasm for this kind of thing with his belief, frequently expressed in the book, that everybody’s lives would be much better if only they were strategically soundscaped, and you glimpse a nightmare future in which everything in real life will sound like Disney World.
It seems scarcely necessary to add that Mr Beckerman expresses nothing but contempt for the very idea of silence.
Instead, I regret to say, I found it superficial, repetitive, boastful and dull. Beckerman evidently knows what he’s talking about but he doesn’t know how to talk about it, or else he’s being coyly parsimonious with his hard-earned knowledge. You never really learn anything worth knowing about the creative decisions he talks of making, how a sonic strategy (his term) is developed, or why he and his clients decided that this sonic strategy worked and that one didn’t, except in the same sort of vague terms anyone might use – ‘it sounds too happy’ or ‘horns sound grand’. Well yes, it does, they do, but we were hoping for a little bit more. The penny really drops when he starts insisting that you can’t focus-group or lab-test sonic ideas – they’ll either work or they won’t. He offers no particular advice about deciding which ones might work and which might not.
In the end, there’s nothing here a working professional can use. Maybe young people in the business might get a few ideas out of it with a bit of lateral thinking. It’s hard to tell, though, who Beckerman really intends his book for. Half the time he seems to be talking to small entrepreneurs, mom-and-pop store owners; the rest he’s lamenting the unimaginative sonic ‘strategies’ of huge advertisers like Pepsi and McDonald’s or boasting about the way he rearranged John Williams’s Super Bowl score. Towards the end of the book he starts offering sonic-image counselling tips for job interviewees and ambitious executives – at which point one of the cases he references seems to suggest that, contrary to his repeated insistence, you can research this stuff – some aspects of it, anyway. By the time I got to this part, though, the author had used up all his credibility with me.
Joel Beckerman’s idea of the perfect use of sound to – let’s face it – manipulate people is Disney World. He goes into raptures over how the amusement-park chain uses the equivalent of sonic fencing and musical cattle-prods to distinguish and separate one attraction from the next, and to keep people moving through the park, successively stimulated, relaxed, put in a receptive mood and ushered with subliminal musical cues from one ride to the next, through the souvenir shop and, finally, out the door. Combine the author’s depressing enthusiasm for this kind of thing with his belief, frequently expressed in the book, that everybody’s lives would be much better if only they were strategically soundscaped, and you glimpse a nightmare future in which everything in real life will sound like Disney World.
It seems scarcely necessary to add that Mr Beckerman expresses nothing but contempt for the very idea of silence.
May 21, 2015
Absolute capitalist junk. Should have been called "selling with sound." Not only is it a boring rundown of companies that use "audio logos" or some shit, but guess what, that author has some ideas on what works and doesn't and is available for hire!
April 19, 2016
Disappointing. I heard an NPR interview about this book and was excited only to find about 2 chapters of information repeated over and over in 9 chapters. The NPR article covered the entire spectrum in less than 5 minutes. My other beef with the book was that the author took every opportunity to plug himself and his company in every story. It's one thing to relate actual experiences; it's another to pat yourself on the back with the same information over and over again.
February 16, 2025
This was an interesting read, but it didn’t fully hit the mark for me. Beckerman explores how sound influences our emotions, behaviors, and even consumer habits, which is a fascinating concept. I appreciated the real-world examples of how brands use sound to shape customer experiences—things like the whoosh of a credit card machine or the signature chime of a tech startup. It definitely made me more aware of how much sound shapes our daily lives in ways we don’t always notice.
That being said, the book felt a bit surface-level at times. I was hoping for a more in-depth analysis, but a lot of it leaned toward the pop-science side rather than a deeper sociological or psychological examination of sound. Some sections felt repetitive, and while the anecdotes were engaging, they didn’t always build toward a stronger argument.
Overall, it was a decent read with some cool insights, but it didn’t leave a lasting impact. It’s accessible and engaging, so if you’re just getting into the study of sound and its influence, this could be a good starting point. However, if you’re looking for a more rigorous or academic take, you might want to look elsewhere.
That being said, the book felt a bit surface-level at times. I was hoping for a more in-depth analysis, but a lot of it leaned toward the pop-science side rather than a deeper sociological or psychological examination of sound. Some sections felt repetitive, and while the anecdotes were engaging, they didn’t always build toward a stronger argument.
Overall, it was a decent read with some cool insights, but it didn’t leave a lasting impact. It’s accessible and engaging, so if you’re just getting into the study of sound and its influence, this could be a good starting point. However, if you’re looking for a more rigorous or academic take, you might want to look elsewhere.
November 28, 2015
Synopsis: Sound is important. You just don't seem to notice all the time.
Nothing real surprising regarding sound that people don't already know. I would look for another book.
Nothing real surprising regarding sound that people don't already know. I would look for another book.
July 28, 2019
Whilst there were some interesting and useful points, you had to wade through a lot of repetitive writing and American corporate hype to get there. The product anecdotes often felt like the authors were trying to sell us not only on the concept, not only on their expertise, but on the product which they created sonic branding for. I wasn't sure what to make of this book when I started it, so perhaps it's on me for not doing my research, but I found it less practical than the blurb promised, and more like a highlights reel of interesting sounds in the world around me.
June 29, 2019
Was really excited for this book but it ended up being mostly the guy talking about all the projects he’d been on. They were all pretty interesting but then that last chapter was just a bunch of nonsense and didn’t seem to actually tell you how to incorporate sound in your life. (So super unsatisfying ending)
January 4, 2021
The awareness to sound is something that should be considered more relating to the experience of customers. In fact, I will now always wonder about this and listen for the sound of water sprayers in the produce aisle while grocery shopping (even if it is fake). Otherwise, it seemed a little too ego-driven and the author could've taken that down a notch.
March 27, 2019
A decent overview of sound illusion that I read for research purposes for my audio drama, The Gray Area. (http://www.grayareapod.com) Definitely gave me some ideas for foley and how to subtly influence psychology through sound.
January 2, 2020
Good read, but story tilts towards the end
Enjoyed reading this book. There were some helpful pointers and recommendations via relevant author experiences and stories. But often felt as a long marketing brochure.
Enjoyed reading this book. There were some helpful pointers and recommendations via relevant author experiences and stories. But often felt as a long marketing brochure.
May 11, 2021
Toinnnn!!!
The society in which there is a trend amongst writers publishing 24 non-fiction books in a year would unsurprisingly result in these advertorial pieces of shit.
And it took two subject matter experts to do this.
I make a sound everytime I read a bad book.
Toinnnn!!!
The society in which there is a trend amongst writers publishing 24 non-fiction books in a year would unsurprisingly result in these advertorial pieces of shit.
And it took two subject matter experts to do this.
I make a sound everytime I read a bad book.
Toinnnn!!!
October 15, 2017
Beckerman walks you through a variety of case studies, some his own consulting projects, to illuminate how sound is and can be used to enhance experiences from shopping to working to dining.
December 28, 2017
Nothing much, fluff with a bit of science.
October 28, 2019
Interesting read for anyone involved in the marketing world! Quick read and worth the time if you’re interested in learning (and observing!) something new
July 30, 2020
A great book for marketing people involved with music and sounds in general.
A book on the psychology of sound - really interesting!
A book on the psychology of sound - really interesting!
November 1, 2021
كلام تافه في موضوع مثير
Read
January 11, 2023Pretty good. I read this as a 'textbook' for an evolutionary marketing course and I enjoyed it.
December 4, 2023
I like the topic but the book was only ok
January 18, 2026
Interesting book for a neophyte of sound production. quite short and a bit redundant but he gets his points across.
December 19, 2014
Sound has a much bigger contribution to our daily life than we might realise, especially when it comes to encouraging us to buy things. This book sets out to show just how much it can shape our decisions.
When you think about it, it is hardly a shock revelation. Mood music has been deployed for an eternity. Classical music in a top restaurant or store, high-energy pop music in a sports store, relaxing water music in a spa - it all has its place. Yet perhaps we don’t think so much about how sound can be directed to us, combined with other senses such as smell, to get us to react. Go to an Asian restaurant and maybe you hear the clang of a wok, the hiss of steam and pleasant food smells waft over the room to encourage your to eat and eat more. How can hamburgers and hot dogs smell so delicious from that sidewalk cart even when you are not hungry? You might notice the smell, but also little, hidden sounds can draw you in.
Many examples are given to show how companies use sound to their advantage, based around basic psychology and human behaviour principles. Yet this is not a how-to guide in itself. Neither is it a deep academic work, despite drawing on many academic resources and providing a detailed bibliography at the back. The book just seems to lack a bit of an identity. It is written for a mainstream audience yet is quite heavy going, presented in a slightly rambling, story book-type style. It would have been nice to see greater focus on the individual reaction to sound and how it affects us as it does. Instead the book is more focussed towards the “who does what” and “how” than anything else. A less U.S.-centric focus would have also been desirable as “aural marketing” is not unique to the country.
The concept of the book is great and it will get you possibly looking (listening?) to things in a different light in the future, if you can force yourself through the book and stay alert. Streams of text with the very occasional sub-headline and diagram does not make for a very accessible book. If this was a deep academic text you might understand, yet even that would have much better internal signposting and navigation.
So a bit of a mixed review. It is a good, interesting book but it had the potential of being an excellent, essential read. Fortunately the price is not excessive so it can still be a worthy purchase even if you feel you skip a bit along the way. You will be probably better informed even if resistance is futile, short of going around with soundproof headphones on!
The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms the Way We Think, Feel, and Buy, written by Joel Beckerman and Tyler Gray and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780544191747, 228 pages. YYYY
When you think about it, it is hardly a shock revelation. Mood music has been deployed for an eternity. Classical music in a top restaurant or store, high-energy pop music in a sports store, relaxing water music in a spa - it all has its place. Yet perhaps we don’t think so much about how sound can be directed to us, combined with other senses such as smell, to get us to react. Go to an Asian restaurant and maybe you hear the clang of a wok, the hiss of steam and pleasant food smells waft over the room to encourage your to eat and eat more. How can hamburgers and hot dogs smell so delicious from that sidewalk cart even when you are not hungry? You might notice the smell, but also little, hidden sounds can draw you in.
Many examples are given to show how companies use sound to their advantage, based around basic psychology and human behaviour principles. Yet this is not a how-to guide in itself. Neither is it a deep academic work, despite drawing on many academic resources and providing a detailed bibliography at the back. The book just seems to lack a bit of an identity. It is written for a mainstream audience yet is quite heavy going, presented in a slightly rambling, story book-type style. It would have been nice to see greater focus on the individual reaction to sound and how it affects us as it does. Instead the book is more focussed towards the “who does what” and “how” than anything else. A less U.S.-centric focus would have also been desirable as “aural marketing” is not unique to the country.
The concept of the book is great and it will get you possibly looking (listening?) to things in a different light in the future, if you can force yourself through the book and stay alert. Streams of text with the very occasional sub-headline and diagram does not make for a very accessible book. If this was a deep academic text you might understand, yet even that would have much better internal signposting and navigation.
So a bit of a mixed review. It is a good, interesting book but it had the potential of being an excellent, essential read. Fortunately the price is not excessive so it can still be a worthy purchase even if you feel you skip a bit along the way. You will be probably better informed even if resistance is futile, short of going around with soundproof headphones on!
The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms the Way We Think, Feel, and Buy, written by Joel Beckerman and Tyler Gray and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780544191747, 228 pages. YYYY
October 29, 2014
I read an advance reader copy of this book, so it may differ slightly from the final publication.
I liked this book, though it's hard to write about music and sound. Throughout the entire book I was really wishing it was a podcast or audiobook instead, so I could hear examples of the music that Beckerman was talking about.
It was interesting, though Beckerman has the tendency (as happens in many books like this, written by experts in any field) to put too much importance (in my opinion) on sound and music in any given situation, but I can't really call that a fault considering his life consists of considering how sound and music impact us in any given situation!
I liked this book, though it's hard to write about music and sound. Throughout the entire book I was really wishing it was a podcast or audiobook instead, so I could hear examples of the music that Beckerman was talking about.
It was interesting, though Beckerman has the tendency (as happens in many books like this, written by experts in any field) to put too much importance (in my opinion) on sound and music in any given situation, but I can't really call that a fault considering his life consists of considering how sound and music impact us in any given situation!
October 2, 2017
Might have gotten 3 stars if I hadn't heard basically the entire book recapped on an episode of Freakonomics. Interesting, but way more marketing fluff than I expected.
March 30, 2015
Solid book covering the various ways sound engages the consumer and human experience. Covers psychology, behavior, emotion, branding, etc. As an audio nerd, this hit all the right spots for me.
January 18, 2015
I was kind of bored, and realized that for me anecdotes are more powerful than "guidebooks" ... I did receive this book from the PR team.
February 12, 2015
A very interesting topic, but the book was very repetitive - more so that pushing a theme but rather to boost the page count. Also, Beckerman spent a lot of time talking about how good he was.
April 25, 2015
i listened to it on Blinklist. Interesting concepts to consider
December 20, 2022
SOIC BOOM
November 26, 2015
supper
September 2, 2016
Turns out this book was a blog post.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews