A new study has found that over 40% of people in the US are listening to new music during the coronavirus pandemic.
The figure comes from the third installment of Billboard and Nielsen Music/MRC Data’s survey series, “COVID-19: Tracking the Impact on the Entertainment Landscape.” MRC Data has been conducting surveys at two-week intervals, using a sample of 1,010 people ages 13+, which is considered representative of the U.S.’s census population.
More specifically, the latest iteration found that, while 84% of people were listening to the music they usually listen to, there was a four percent increase in the percentage of people who reported they were listening to new music from artists they had never listened to before, from 39% to 43%.
As families spend more time at home, family-friendly genres such as children’s, country, and classical are the only genres that haven’t seen a downturn since the economic shutdown began, the study found.
People are also consuming more music videos than they used to – an 10% increase compared to the baseline period of Feb. 21 to March 12. Though some respondents cancelled their streaming service subscriptions during this period, 27% became first time subscribers, with 73% of those reporting that they were likely to continue it after the pandemic ends.
Finally, the study reported that people are enthusiastic about music venues reopening, but want to see health concerns addressed. Specifically, the study found that 61% of participants would want hand sanitizer stations throughout the venue, while 51% would have a preference for outdoor events. Half of respondents would want to see social distancing guidelines enforced, while 35% would want attendees’ temperatures to be taken before entering the venue.
The full study can be accessed behind Billboard’s paywall.
