How do consumers listen to music was the question posed by YouGov as part of its ongoing research into the music industry. The study asked consumers in the US, Britain, Germany, Indonesia and Australia how they listened to music.
Car radio is still the most popular activity
Data reveals that listening to music radio in a car is popular among a majority of consumers across four in five markets of the survey and is the most common way to listen for most. In Australia, particularly, this method of music consumption is pervasive among three in five consumers (61%). Closely following are more than half of the consumers in Germany (58%), the US (54%) and Great Britain (56%). In contrast, this behaviour is less pronounced among adults in Indonesia with under three in ten saying so (27%). Older consumers in Indonesia are likelier to listen to music radio in a car than their younger age cohorts (18-29: 20%; 30-44: 29%; 45+: 37%).
Americans like listening to free online music
In the US consumers are more likely to stream free music online than via a paid service (35% vs. 33%). About three in ten US adults said they listen to music on CDs (29%), while internet radio and paid downloaded music (27% and 27% respectively) are also close contenders. More than a quarter of Americans also show a preference for music available on video streaming sites (26%).
One in five Germans listen to music on portable radio
Consumers in Germany are more likely to listen to music on video streaming sites than via CDs they own (39% vs. 34%). Internet radio is used by close to a quarter of consumers (24%) and a similar share say they listen to paid online music (23%). Consuming music on portable radios, which ranks low on the list among respondents in other markets, is still preferred by one on five adults (20%). One in seven Germans said that they listen to radio music via a television set (14%).
Brits listen to music via online platforms
In Britain a substantial proportion of consumers tell us they listen to music on CDs (36%). However online platforms are also popular among British adults as listening to paid online music (32%), internet radio (26%) and free music streaming platforms (25%) rank high on the list for consumers. A notable proportion also consume music on video streaming sites (18%).
Music CDs, followed by free online music most popular in Australia
Listening to music on CDs ranks high on the list among consumers in Australia (36%). The use of online music platforms is pervasive among Aussie adults as a similar share of this audience listen to free online music (35%), followed by those who have a paid subscription (33%) and those who tune into music streamed through internet radio (29%). More than a quarter say they listen to paid downloaded music (28%) or video streaming sites (28%).
Adults in Indonesia prefer free online music
There’s a strong preference for free music via online platforms among a considerable proportion of consumers in Indonesia (56%). Close to half of the consumers said they either listen to music on video streaming sites (46%) or have downloaded music through file sharing sites (46%). About three in eight adults like to play music on internet radio (38%), followed by those who have subscribed to a paid online music service (34%).
