July 15th, 2026
You Laugh, But The Countdown Will Begin Soon Enough.
It seems counterintuitive to discuss holiday music right after celebrating the 4th of July. Most people don't even think about it at this point, but we do. This year, we are especially excited for the season because it marks the 11th anniversary of The What's In-Store Music Holiday Program. We pinch ourselves just thinking about it. Ten years of bringing holiday music from some of the biggest names in music, like Ed Sheeran, Dolly Parton, Smokey Robinson, and more! The program also embraces independent artists in a way that no other holiday music service can. There will be plenty of time to review different styles of music and deadlines to submit your songs. Here's a hint: it's a lot sooner than you think. Keep an eye right here as we prepare you to get your songs played during the busiest shopping season of the year. In the meantime, keep enjoying that sun, fun, and family, and we'll let you know when it's time to move on this. We already have 7 commitments for this year's program. It's never too early to reserve your spot, but at some point, it will be too late. If you have a holiday song and you know you'll want to participate, you can go ahead and submit it HERE.
On Vacation!
The What's In-Store Music office is closed this week, as we take a short summer break to celebrate a very special occasion, my mother's 97th birthday!
You can still submit songs while we're away, and we'll begin reviewing new submissions as soon as we're back in the office on Monday, July 20.
Thanks for your patience, and we look forward to sharing more great music with you when we return!
Newly Added to The What's In-Store Music Spotify Playlist
England Dan & John Ford Coley
"I'd Really Love To See You Tonight (50th Anniversary Edition)"
The Archer ft. Reigan
"Written In The Stars"
Click the banner to stream on your favorite platform!
Featured Artists
Paper Money
Pretty Faces
On Lakeside / Above Da Rim
Hudson Stone
Overthinker
Tubby Love
Life's A Beach (Soak It Up)
VASSY
On Me
On VASSY Entertainment
Temper City
"Self Aware"
“Self Aware” explores the painful space between knowing something isn't right and choosing to stay anyway. The song captures the internal conflict of recognizing the warning signs in a relationship while still holding onto hope that things might somehow change. Rather than romanticizing heartbreak, Temper City leans into the honesty of that contradiction—the struggle between what your heart wants and what your mind already knows. It's a deeply relatable song about emotional self-awareness, the difficulty of letting go, and the courage it takes to face uncomfortable truths.
In a recent interview, they explained that "Self Aware" was born from moments when "you know something isn't right, there are clear warning signs, but you decide to stay anyway." They added that they weren't trying to romanticize those experiences, but rather process them through songwriting so listeners might recognize their own struggles in the music.
Video of the Week:
Jordan Frye
"Daydreaming"
On The Move
Keep an ear out for these terrific songs playing overhead in stores everywhere.
little image
"THE NARCOLEPTIC"
Tara Macri
"Grace"
Momo Boyd, Trevor Jackson & Smino
"Gotta Be Us (Be The People)"
Betty Moon
"Live in the Moment"
Out & About
What's In-Store Music
Live at Sunset
with Roseanna on Friday, June 26th 2026
What a way to kick off the first-ever What's In-Store Music, Live at Sunset Concert. What's In-Store Music's Scott Emerson first met Roseanna Brown in 2014 during a radio promotion tour. At the time, Roseanna was the guitarist and lead singer for the band The Rua, along with her siblings, Alana and Jonathan. The Rua was one of the first acts Scott brought up to visit Retail Radio, paving the way for their single "Fight for What's Right" to play overhead in more than 9,000 stores, including Walmart, Staples, Leslie's Pool Supplies, The Athlete's Foot, Menchie's, Ace Hardware and more. It seemed only fitting that Roseanna, now a solo artist, be the first artist to perform at a What's In-Store Music event.
It may have been a relaxed backyard setting, but it was still filled with music industry types who are historically not easily impressed. Not a problem for this terrific talent. From the moment she opened her mouth and began to sing, everyone knew immediately they were in for a treat. Two Standouts for us were "Yes", a song that brought tears to several people's eyes, and "Help Me", which can currently be heard overhead in retailers right now. Compliments were flying after her performance, with several audience members wanting to hear more. Not only is Roseanna a fantastic singer, but she's also quite an actress who can currently be seen in the summer hit PRESSURE, starring Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, and Kerry Condon, in theaters. Also, stream her new single (my personal favorite) "ALIVE" on your favorite streaming platform.
Have a great week,
Scott Emerson
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