The Audio Listening Habits Of Each Age Group
Each generation is different and that’s abundantly obvious in a multitude of ways. The differences really jump out at you when it comes to audio listening habits though, as shown by MusicWatch. The company broke down these habits into 8 “audio clusters” that really crystalize the sweet spots for demographics that go beyond just age. Let’s take a look at them.
Audiolescents
This consists of ages 13 to 21 and makes up 18% of all listeners. 85% are students and their favorite genre of music is HipHop. Music streaming and listening to or watching music in videos from TikTok or similar short-form platforms accounts for 61% of their listening time.
Peak Audio
This group consists of 22 to 24 year olds, and even though it makes up only 7% of the listening population, consumes more than any other group – in fact, 60% higher than average. Most are employed so they have enough money to subscribe to a music streaming service or SiriusXM satellite radio. Once again, HipHop is this group’s favorite genre.
Podcasts and Playlists
Ages 25 to 34, this group makes up 10% of all listeners. it’s a group in family mode so their listening time diminishes a bit, but they diversify it as they like music livestreams, are really into podcasts, and go see more live music than any other category. Their favorite podcast genre is Comedy, followed closely by True Crime, and 60% have a subscription to SiriusXM.
Modern Traditionalists
Also at 10% of all listeners, this group (age 35 to 39) streams more music-only content than previous categories, which heavily relied on social media and TikTok for music consumption. This group also likes livestreams, a little more than half pay for SiriusXM or a streaming subscription, and again favor HipHop.
iGeneration
Ages 40 to 48 and making up 15% of listeners, this group grew up with iPods and iTunes, and is the group most attracted to music on TV. They spend 35% more time consuming audio, tend to pay for a subscription, and favor audiobooks more than other categories.
Aging Quietly
This group covers ages 49 to 60 and makes up 17% of all listeners. It listens to less audio than every other group, averaging about 16 hours per week, but are heavier consumers of radio, both broadcast and satellite. Two of three listen to Classic Rock, only a quarter listen to HipHop, while Country becomes a key genre.
Boomer Blenders
Ages 61 to 66 and making up 8% of all listeners, this group actually spends as much time listening to audio as their grandkids, averaging about 22 hours per week. 20% of listening is spent on music streaming, while the rest comes from broadcast radio, Sirius satellite radio, CDs, downloads, podcasts and even vinyl.
Classic and Plastic
Ages 67 and older, this group makes up 9% of all listeners. They listen to 60% less than average though, mainly to News/Traffic/Sports on the radio, although they do like SiriusXM. CDs account for 16% of their music, and podcast time is nearly 4 times more than average. But here’s the surprise – they like streaming and spend as much time listening as to broadcast radio.
Why Is This Important?
If you know the age group of the majority of your audience, then it pays to cater to their listening habits. These habits are not always obvious to a creator, but now you at least have a guideline. How to take advantage of the info is for another post.
