But the Engaging With Music report, written and released by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) says that the time spent listening to music this year (20.1 hours) was up by more than an hour-and-a-half per week on the year before (18.4 hours).
It might sound like something of an obvious headline, that more people are listening to music than ever before, but the difference in just a year is quite a leap. The difference is equivalent to people listening to an extra 34 three-minute tracks this year compared to last.
The report took in responses from 44,000 people in 22 countries, and offers plenty of other insights into the listening habits of people globally.
46% of respondents choose to pay for subscription services that offer uninterrupted, on-demand music consumption, whilst more than three-quarters (76%) of those surveyed say they use multiple formats to listen to music – also the highest on record.
On average, people listen to music through more than six different mediums; and, audio police (or whatever they’re called), won’t be best pleased to hear that 30% of people listen via unlicensed or illegal means.
In terms of the music itself, people listen to more than eight different genres on average, with more than 500 genres having been raised by those surveyed, including ‘Disco-polo’ (a type of disco that was popular in ‘80s Poland) and ‘Dangdut’ (an Indonesian folk music).
Frances Moore, IFPI’s Chief Executive, has described how the report “paints a fascinating picture of how fans around the globe listen and engage with music today”. For lovers of data, of music, and certainly of both, she’s not wrong.
