Whilst music streaming dominates people’s on-the-go playlists and the UK music charts, new research reveals a significant proportion of the population is returning to buying music – and suggests the old and new world can quite happily co-exist.
New research on UK music habits from The London Essentials reveals that the majority of Brits are still happy to buy music – with London (79%), the East Midlands (72%) and North East (70%) leading the way. At a time when the UK Government has, this year, reviewed reforms to streaming services – aiming to improve the income for legacy artists, songwriters and musicians – the new poll of a representative sample of 2,000 adults offers positive news for artists that still hope to make a fair income from their music.
Research key findings
· Scotland emerges as the home of vinyl – with 30% of Scots enjoying an immersive listen to music on their record player and having time to enjoy album artwork. Vinyl – new or second hand – was more popular in Scotland than it was in England (24%) and Wales (23%)
· The East Midlands emerged as the CD capital of UK (48%) – and, nationally, the research busts the myth that vinyl has replaced the compact disc. Across all regions, a quiet counter-revolution is taking hold as more people listen to their CDs than vinyl.
· Curiously, London has a strange and unique and retro nostalgia for audio cassettes (18%), which is between two and four times popular than most other regions.
· London also comes top for buying and downloading music in digital formats (59%), whereas music buyers in the South East, South West and Wales are most resistant.
Ben Matthews, Founder of The London Essentials comments: “We all know that streaming is huge and now the go-to, but our research suggests many people also like to buy music, to build a collection they own – whether in physical or digital format. The research also suggests that millions of people are still enjoying music collections they built before the streaming revolution took hold and, for some younger people, the allure of vinyl and CD is being revisited.
“The important take-out is the research affirms a value people place in good music – plus a deep-rooted love for the classic albums and hits of past decades, something AI simply cannot touch or improve on. As an international touring band there is, globally, huge allure and emotional resonance for the hits we play of past decades – which are the product of people buying music, having music collections and building a deep connection with the music that have become the soundtrack of happy lives.”
The ultimate international party band, The London Essentials are a band of five gentlemen who specialise in raising the standard, pulse and temperature of parties around the world. Once experienced live, a band that is never forgotten. The London Essentials discard the formalities of the stage, with deliciously cheeky, theatrical performances that put the audience in the heart of a show. From intimate rooms to global stages, they’re known for transforming gatherings into shared experiences — the kind audiences say they miss: human, surprising and connected. Their perspective blends fresh research with insight from hundreds of performances each year for fans, brands and venues that value the magical moments created by fully immersive shows that live in the moment and put the audience into the heart of a show. Discover more about the London Essentials at: https://thelondonessentials.com/