Reports Music

Music Discovery Streaming’s Growing Role

Mark Mulligan
Cover image for Music Discovery
Report Synopsis Presentation Spreadsheet

Get full access to this report and assets

Already a MIDiA client? Login here to view this report.

If you are interested this report, or related reports such as "Radio’s Streaming Disruption How Streaming And Smartphones Disrupt Radio Audiences", "Streaming Music Discovery When The Journey Becomes The Destination" and "Music Marketing Niche is the New Mainstream" get in touch today to enquire about a report bundle.

The 20,000 Foot View: Radio has long led music discovery and continues to do so today. However, streaming – both audio and video – are making up ground fast, especially among more engaged and younger music fans. These shifts in discovery come as music marketing strategy is placing an ever-greater emphasis on streaming.

Key Insights

  • Despite declining            and the onslaught of streaming,            is still the main way            which consumers discover music, with           
  • YouTube retains            place at            and, perhaps more            it gained six points on            between            2019 and            2020
  • Audio streaming            the biggest gainer and between            and            2020, moving from the            widely cited way of finding            music to the third, with           
  • Streamers and            aficionados over-index strongly for social            illustrating the importance of targeting            to drive streams
  • The less            an audio streaming market, the            the role of radio –            YouTube’s importance is largely unaffected 
  • There is            generational divide in music discovery,            younger consumers skewing towards audio            and YouTube, while older ones            on radio
  • Audio streaming            the dominant form of music            among daily users of streaming            YouTube            and radio            are also            key
  • Just            of            weekly active users rely on            for music discovery

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Spotify, YouTube