Music Discovery Streaming’s Growing Role

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