Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who is to score some of the music for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, claimed that piped muzak was an “invasion of privacy” and was killing our capacity to enjoy peace and silence.
The 76-year-old, who was made Master of Queen’s Music in 2004, has joined campaign group Pipedown, whose other celebrity supporters include Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Tom Conti and Prunella Scales.
He wants such music to be banned from restaurants, shops and on telephones while callers are waiting.
Sir Peter, from Orkney, said: "I have just had enough of it.
“I was driven out of Waterstones in Oxford Street, London, this week because I could not stand the rubbish being played in the name of background music.
"I had a £100 book token and I just could not stand the noise to spend it.
"If I hear piped music being played to supposedly soothe me as I wait on the phone I put the receiver down.”
He said it had nothing to do with quality but was a vehicle for commercialism.
"All this piped music is about stupefying you so that you buy lots of stupid things you don't need,” he added.
“I am sure if you took away muzak out of shops people would not be in so much debt.
"We should all give peace a chance and we need more of it in our lives, not less. Muzak is killing our capacity to enjoy peace and silence."
Sir Peter, who is currently working on a new symphony to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, also attacked the Performing Right Society, which collects royalties on behalf of composers and musicians, for being more interested in making money from ringtones and "dumbing down."
Hotels, restaurants and shops generated around £40 million in royalties in 2009.
Sir Peter also said that it was impossible to teach somebody the subtleties and nuances of music if such “rubbish” was constantly played in the background.
“There is no escape and we need to fight back against it," he said.
