Study: Playlists overtake albums in listenership

Playlists have overtaken albums as a listening format, according to a new study, Music Consumption: The Overall Landscape, by LOOP (Lots of Online People) and The Music Business Association (Music Biz).

Of the 3,014 respondents in a study conducted in the US in May 2016, playlists accounted for 31% of total listening time across all demographics. Albums accounted for only 22%.

However, single track listening remained the dominant format with 46% of total listening time – a decline of 6% from last year.

According to the study, YouTube is the most listened to (42% of respondents) for audio, even for five minutes a week. Pandora was next with a 31% rating with CDs at 22%.

Music Consumption: The Overall Landscape also threw up figures, which justify record companies’ no-holds-barred conditions for new streaming entrants: abandon freemium tiers or no licensing deal for our music. The study said 42% admitted not paying for music streaming subscriptions because they were happy using ad-supported freemiums.

“As the music business continues to grow and evolve, it is crucial that we understand the progression of music consumption trends so we can deliver the best experience possible,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “The data in this report will be invaluable to our members as they decide where, when and how to release and promote new music.”

“This report confirms that playlists are becoming more and more dominant in the music industry as streaming services gain traction,” said David Lewis, co-founder of LOOP. “We hope music companies will keep this data in mind as they make decisions on which platforms, distribution methods and marketing opportunities to invest in.”