Heathrow Pipes 79 Unique Airport Sounds as Mood Music: Tannoy Meets ASMR

Heathrow Airport unleashes a 79-sound “Music for Heathrow” mix, looping escalator drones, baggage belt rumbles, and tannoy snippets for summer travelers. Grammy-nominated Jordan Rakei fuses real-life boarding calls and movie beeps. Google’s top queries—“Why is Heathrow so busy?” and “What is ASMR at airports?”—now get an answer: “Nothing compares to the excitement of stepping foot in the airport for the start of a summer holiday,” claims terminal chief Lee Boyle.
Building on the surreal blend of real and cinematic airport noises, Rakei’s tribute to Brian Eno’s 1979 ambient classic includes passport stamps, water fountain fizz, and even foot taps from “Bend It Like Beckham.” Trending searches like “Is Heathrow stressful?” and “Can soundscapes reduce airport anxiety?” find an odd match in a soundtrack that slips in security scanner beeps from “Love Actually.” It’s a place where ASMR tingles meet the frenzied last phone calls of delayed travelers.
Every lift ding and baggage rumble is stitched into Heathrow’s soundscape, with 79 distinct airport noises—plus a water fountain—looped to soundtrack every boarding call this summer.