🎧 Know Your Fans’ Listening Habits: How Are People “Consuming” Music in 2024
How and why are people listening to music in 2024? But more important: how do people discover new music nowadays? An interesting read for all independent artists
Call us suckers for clichés, but we are clearly living history as it gets written. At least in the music industry, where (almost) everything is revolving around the internet. After all, streaming became the main driver for music revenues, accounting for 67% in 2022, up from 20% in 2015. What do these cold numbers tell us? Well, the music listening habits have changed dramatically in the past decade. Gone are the days when you had to fill up your humble iPod when planning a road trip (we don’t talk about the music’s Stone Age when you were leaving home with a dozen of cassette tapes, a bag full of AAA batteries and a walkman that added an extra 500 grams to your waist belt). Now virtually any song you can imagine is conveniently at 1 tap away in your smartphone, via GigaBit speeds internet connections everywhere.
Without any doubt, our current and future fans are mainly using music streaming services to get their music daily dose. According to studies, people are listening on average to 20+ hours of music every week, an increase from 18.4 hours in 2021. You’re probably wondering why they’re listening to music: well, music is considered vital for the mental health (69%) and exercise (68%).
So over 2/3 are listening to music to improve their state of mind, to make themselves feel good :) If you’re still wondering if people do develop an affinity to certain genres… somehow following the odd trend of non-binary they/them, the young generations of listeners have managed to blur the lines between genres: recent surveys show that people are usually listening to a whopping 500 different genres, an amazing diversity that comes to explain one cannot tag music anymore as being pop, rock, rap a.s.o. This is why mood comes first nowadays: happy music, sad music, positive vibes music, chill music, dish washing music…
So, we know how people are listening to music, why they’re listening to music and what type of music they are listening to (this one is pretty vague, but at least we have an image on what they’re looking for). Yet, one question still remains and maybe it’s the most important one for independent artists who try hard to reach new listeners and eventually active followers: how do people discover new music while sailing the infinite waters of music streaming? Here’s a quick breakdown on this topic 👇
Streaming services and their algorithms
Spotify's report indicates that nearly 2 billion music discoveries happen daily on their platform, driven largely by personalized features like Niche Mixes and AI-powered DJs. These tools cater to individual tastes and expose users to new tracks and artists. For example, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are particularly active in music discovery on Spotify, while Baby Boomers in the U.S. discover new music more often than their younger counterparts
Social media
Social media platforms play a significant role in music discovery, especially among younger generations. The Harris Poll found that platforms like TikTok and Snapchat are influential, with about 90% of their users listening to music daily. Gen Z and young millennials frequently discover new music through these platforms, with TikTok being particularly notable for promoting music through viral trends and challenges.
Cross-Platform Discovery
Younger listeners tend to use multiple platforms for discovering music. Approximately 76% of Twitch users, 73% of Snapchat users, and 70% of TikTok users discover new music on these platforms. This cross-platform discovery is complemented by passive discovery methods, such as songs featured in TV shows and advertisements
Traditional Media
Despite the rise of digital platforms, traditional media like radio still play a role in music discovery. About 45% of music listeners discover new music through public radio stations, although this figure is higher among older listeners compared to younger ones
Generational Preferences
There's a strong element of nostalgia in music preferences, with many listeners favoring music they grew up with. However, younger generations are more open to diverse genres, including global music such as K-pop and Latin music. This openness is facilitated by the global reach of streaming platforms and social media.
So, algorithms are driving most of the music discovery process. With Spotify dominating the music streaming business at a 31% market share, no wonder that algorithm based discovery tools have driven more than half the streams. Algorithms can show you what has happened and suggest something related that might fit the bill, however as beings who sometimes do crazy things like eat breakfast for dinner, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes Peppa Pig and Elsa takes over my otherwise grunge Spotify and it really messes up the automatic recommendations. This is where the human curation touch comes into play, a thing that is becoming a must nowadays.
Studies and reports indicate that both human-curated playlists and algorithmic recommendations play significant roles in how people discover new music, each with unique strengths and limitations.
Human-curated playlists are valued for their ability to capture the nuanced, subjective aspects of music that algorithms might miss. These playlists, often created by experienced music editors or curators, blend a deep understanding of music trends, cultural moments, and emotional contexts. For example, Spotify's "algotorial" playlists combine human curation with algorithmic assistance to personalize playlists based on user preferences while maintaining the human touch for selecting tracks that resonate on a deeper level (Spotify Engineering).
On the other hand, algorithmic playlists, such as those powered by Spotify’s Discover Weekly or Apple Music’s personalized recommendations, use data-driven approaches to analyze listening habits and suggest new music. These systems excel in scalability and personalization, offering tailored music suggestions to millions of users simultaneously. However, they can sometimes lead to repetitive or predictable outcomes, lacking the diversity and unexpected discoveries that human curators might provide .
Research suggests that a hybrid approach, combining human expertise with algorithmic precision, might offer the best of both worlds. This approach can leverage the strengths of each method, providing personalized, yet creatively curated music experiences that enhance user engagement and discovery.
Overall, while algorithmic recommendations are powerful tools for music discovery, human-curated playlists remain indispensable for their ability to provide a richer, more varied listening experience.
Now you know everything you need to know about music listeners and aficionados: how and why are they listening to music, what kind of music they’re listening to, how do they search and discover new music.
And, as much as you hate hearing this over and over again, it’s the same conclusion every time: build your presence on every music streaming platform with the help of a good distribution partner, create relatable content on social media, create strong connections with human curators, collaborate and network with other fellow artists.
And don’t forget to have fun while doing this :)