Edison Research has released the Music Discovery Report, detailing how important following music is to the U.S. population 12+ as well as what specific platforms audiences use to stay up to date with music. The report also tracks how platform usage has evolved over time.
The never-before-seen findings were presented in a webinar led by Alex Bargiacchi, Senior Director at Edison Research.Top findings for music discovery include:
• Almost one half of the U.S. population 12+ say it’s important to them to keep up to date with music: 14% of Americans 12+ say it is very important to keep up to date with music and 35% say it is somewhat important.
• Spotify has grown over time to be one of the most influential platforms for music discovery: In 2016, 25% of Americans 12+ used Spotify to learn about music; today that number is almost double, as 48% of Americans 12+ use Spotify to learn about music. Spotify also leads all other platforms as the one source used most often to learn about music.
• Social media plays an integral role in music discovery for people age 12-34, especially compared to older age segments: Among Americans age 12-34 who say it is “very” or “somewhat” important to keep up to date with music, 63% use Instagram, 58% use TikTok, and 18% use Facebook as sources.
• Americans age 12-34 and those who identify as African American are the most likely to be dedicated music followers: Close to one-quarter of African Americans age 12+ say it is very important to keep up to date with music, followed by an additional 41% who say it is somewhat important.
• Word of mouth, YouTube, and AM/FM radio continue to play important roles in music discovery: Of Americans age 12+ who say it is “very” or “somewhat” important to keep up to date with music, 82% use friends/family, 70% use YouTube, and 50% use AM/FM radio as sources to do so.
Bargiacchi said, “Knowing your desired audience is extremely important when crafting your music promotion strategy. Habits and preferences differ significantly among various audience segments. Understanding and utilizing data should always be part of any music promotion strategy to help artists and creators reach strategic goals.”
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