INTRODUCTION BY CUTCOMMON/ RESEARCH CONTENT COURTESY OF THE VICTORIAN MUSIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
How much do you really know about the way Australian listeners engage with music?
If you’re a listener, you might think your behaviours are pretty normal. If you’re a musician, you might make assumptions about what your audience wants.
Now, the guesswork is removed thanks to new research conducted by the Victorian Music Development Office in collaboration with Media Insight Consulting CEO Chris Carey.
The research was undertaken in June 2019 for the VMDO Music Consumer Insights study. It involved an online survey of 30 questions, in which more than 2000 Australians (not just Victorians) provided information on how they engage with music.
“The survey findings help us explain the attitudes that underpin consumer behaviours – they join the dots so we can understand how Australians connect with music through different access points from streaming services to purchasing tickets to a live performances,” Carey said.
“We found that one in three people said that music was their life – it’s their number one passion. On average, Australians are listening to music three to four hours a day.”
Carey today announced the study’s key findings at the CHANGES music conference. Thanks to VMDO, we can publish them here for you.
How will this information change the way you engage with, or host, music in Australia?
1. Album listening isn’t dead and CDs are still in demand
The album format is still very popular (even for younger people and also amongst the mix of digital streaming playlists and single tracks available). This is encouraging for artists who want to deliver a body of work (not just tracks), and the demand highlights the opportunity for musicians to sell CDs and whole albums directly to consumers via their own digital channels or at their live performances.
2. YouTube is the biggest music streaming service in Australia
It performs strongly (21 per cent) ahead of other specialist streaming services (11 per cent). Whilst Spotify is the biggest revenue-earner, and a hugely important partner for musicians, music businesses need to capitalise on the opportunities that YouTube offers for engaging with music consumers.
The deeper engagement offered through video is one avenue that will convert listeners into fans. However, YouTube pays songwriters and artists less per stream than the specialist audio services like: Spotify, Soundcloud and Deezer.
3. Live music has a mass appeal and Australian music matters most
More than 60 per cent of Australians attend a live music event at least once a year. Victorians are the highest of any state with a strong appetite for local music – in Victoria, 55 per cent preferred to see Australian music artists live than other international talent (compared to 49 per cent nationally). When asked why they don’t go to see more live music, many people identified that they do not want to go alone.
4. Music discovery is driven through traditional media and streaming
It’s accessed free via radio, television and film, which are ranked in the top ways to find new music, alongside playlists and YouTube. After discovering music, the most popular way to explore further is to stream on YouTube (26 per cent), or paid streaming (17 per cent) through Spotify or Apple Music. There is an opportunity to shift people from music engagers to music fans, and importantly to bring listeners into the paid ecosystem for the first time.
5. Radio still really matters for listening, gigs and discovery
It’s the biggest way of listening to music (48 per cent), followed closely by CDs (44 per cent) and free video streaming (44 per cent). When asked how they find out about live gigs, radio is ranked highest with 44 per cent of people discovering live music that way compared to YouTube (22 per cent – ranked as second highest). The role of community radio is a major contributor that drives people to the discovery of emerging local music and supporting a thriving local scene (particularly in Victoria through Triple R and PBS).
A little about the research for ya…
The Victorian Music Development Office is part of the Victorian Government’s $22.2 million Music Works strategy delivered by Music Victoria. It aims to boost the growth and evolution of the Victorian contemporary music industry, supporting the creation of sustainable opportunities and ensuring Victoria maintains its reputation for great music.
VMDO general manager Bonnie Dalton highlighted that the VMDO Music Consumer Insights study shows that, across the board, there is a love for music – especially Australian music.
“We know that Victorian music businesses are experts at connecting with music fans. These new insights highlight our potential to engage deeper with causal music consumers from across Australia,” said Dalton.
The VMDO is reviewing the VMDO Music Consumer Insights survey results, and over the coming months plans to release a report focused on the research findings, including potential programs, initiatives or further research required.
Read more on the VMDO website.
Featured image shows emerging musicians of the Australian National Academy of Music. ANAM and other artists pictured are not involved in this study but are shown to reflect Victorian music making.
