ForumsAdvertising, Sales and Marketing

Personally, I dislike it on a business website unless it's a website for a musical act. If there's a button to turn off the music and/or skip a flash intro, I always use it. If there's no such option, the music can drive me away (which was probably not the designer's desire or intent, but it's the actual result).

Amy, You know what happened to "Curious" ??
I agree with Lighthouse. Most times background music is annoying and also turn it off or lower the sound.
There are exceptions like Valentine or Birthday cards or something with a mystery.
LUCKIEST

This is generally a big "no no" in web design for the reasons mentioned above (extra bandwidth usage slows the loading of your site, uncontrollable sound loops irritate those trying to READ your content, and when clicking to a new page... the sound loop usually starts over!)

When using multimedia presentations such as video or some animation it is OK to use, but it should always be controllable! In this case, less is more!

Just reiterating what was already said here!

In my humble opinion, having music and flash only increases the time to load your web site and detracts from your site's content.

In an age that consumers are quick to click off a site, creating any distraction from your site's message would not be a wise move.

Note: Look at iTunes - no music until you click on a song preview...

As a jingle composer (Pepsi, NBC, MTV) and web developer with various clients, I agree that in general music on a website is annoying and is usually tasteless and pointless. No different than an advertisement on TV or radio with some generic and pointless music. But...imagine Coke or McDonalds without many of their great jingles through the years. GREAT MUSIC MATTERS.

Yes, as a music composer I am biased but the fact is, your brand can linger in the mind of a visitor or customer with an APPROPRIATE musical or sound identity. No different than a visual logo. As proof that "short jingles" work - think NBC or t-Mobile. VERY quick and simple but they work.

Besides traditional music services, my company, www.epicsoul.com offers "Web Jingles" which help you brand your company with 4 to 10 second jingles or sound identities that you can play on your website or in videos or in PodCasts. Rates are affordable and you can license or buy-out. Start with an affordable web jingle and then after you get some traction, you could grow it into a longer form jingle for a radio or TV spot.

Check out our work at www.epicsoul.com