Forget notions that orchestral music is something for older people. New research from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra suggests that not only has the proportion of people under 35 listening to orchestral music as part of their daily lives increased in the last five years, young people are now more likely to be listening to it than their parents.
A tracking survey of 2,000 people (nationally representative) asked about the situations in which people listen to orchestral music in their daily lives. It found that just under two thirds (65%) of people aged under 35 were listening on a regular basis, a 6% increase on 2018 (59%). Interestingly, this was significantly higher than those aged over 55, where the proportion was slightly over half (57%).
Looking at the different situations in which people listened to orchestral music, there were also some notable differences between the generations. For older people, listening while travelling (e.g. in a car, or on public transport) stood out as the most popular way in which people tuned in (24%), with almost twice as many listening in this way as younger people (13%).
Meanwhile, for those aged under 35, listening whilst cooking was the most common situation (25%), again, significantly higher than those in their parents’ generation (15% of those aged over 55).
In fact, younger people were twice as likely as their parents’ generation to be listening to orchestral music while working (19% vs 10% of over 55s), while exercising (17% versus 6%), in the bath (17% vs 6%), going to sleep at night (14% vs 8%) and waking up in the morning (10% vs 4%).
The results also showed that more than one in 10 people aged under 35 listened to orchestral music while making love (11%) – more likely than while reading (9%), or hosting a dinner party (9%).
Increase in young people actively pursuing their interest for orchestral music
The research also looked at the ways in which people were actively pursuing their interest in the performing arts. It found that while three in five (60%) people in the UK pursued their interest in some way on a regular basis, among people aged under 35 this proportion rose to more than three quarters (77%) – close to double that of their parents’ generation (44% of people aged over 55).
Again, the ways in which young people pursued their interest in the performing arts differed quite considerably with those in older generations. For people over 55, the most common way people were pursuing their interest was by listening to the radio (27% - significantly higher than 19% of under 35s).
Meanwhile, the most common way for people aged under 35 to be pursuing their interest was listening to music via streaming (26%) – significantly higher than those aged over 55 (17%).
The results showed that younger people were four times as likely to listen to podcasts about the arts as those over 55 (21% vs 5%), teach themselves an instrument (17% versus 4%), or take online classes (12% vs 3%); and six times as likely to follow organisations and artists on social media (18% versus 3%).
Comparing the responses to 2021, the results showed a significant rise in the proportion of younger people reading more about particular interest that they had (+6% to 22%), watching TV programmes about the arts (+9% to 22%), and watching videos of performers and artists online (+5% to 12%).
James Williams, Managing Director of the RPO commented: “In 2022, the experience of engaging with orchestral music reaches far beyond the concert hall and into every part of people’s lives – from cooking to commuting, the workplace and the gym. The effect of the pandemic, and the seismic shift in the way we now live our working lives, has meant a development in the way people are engaging with music. Listening habits fit with people’s changes in lifestyle, and while this will continue to evolve and change over time, engagement with music has become stronger. As our research shows, more people are spending time listening, reading about, watching, and performing music this year than ever before.”
“Sharing the visceral experience of hearing an orchestra live in concert with the widest possible audience, remains at the core of the RPO’s mission. We believe the more people that experience orchestral music – whether at home, at work or on the move – the more we will grow the demand from new audiences to experience outstanding live performances.”
Situations in which people listen to Orchestral music
|
Total |
18-34 (Net) |
35-54 (Net) |
55+ (Net) |
|
|
Whilst travelling (e.g. in a car, public transport, on a flight etc.) |
19% |
13% |
16% |
24% |
|
When cooking |
17% |
25% |
14% |
15% |
|
When doing housework (e.g. ironing, cleaning etc.) |
17% |
16% |
15% |
19% |
|
While reading |
13% |
9% |
13% |
17% |
|
When working |
13% |
19% |
12% |
10% |
|
In a concert hall |
12% |
12% |
10% |
15% |
|
While going to sleep |
11% |
14% |
12% |
8% |
|
While exercising |
11% |
17% |
10% |
6% |
|
When in the bath |
10% |
17% |
8% |
6% |
|
When in the garden |
10% |
12% |
9% |
8% |
|
To wake me up in the morning |
7% |
10% |
8% |
4% |
|
When hosting a dinner party |
7% |
9% |
6% |
5% |
|
While making love |
6% |
11% |
5% |
2% |
|
Other |
3% |
2% |
3% |
4% |
|
Don't know/ can't recall |
5% |
4% |
4% |
6% |
|
NET: Listening to orchestral music |
59% |
65% |
56% |
57% |
Ways in which people are pursuing an interest in the performing arts
|
Total |
18-34 (Net) |
35-54 (Net) |
55+ (Net) |
|
|
Listening to the radio |
25% |
19% |
27% |
27% |
|
Listening to more music (CDs, streaming, vinyl, etc) |
22% |
26% |
23% |
17% |
|
Reading more about a particular interest I have |
18% |
22% |
17% |
15% |
|
Watching TV programmes about the arts |
17% |
22% |
16% |
15% |
|
Listing to podcasts |
13% |
21% |
14% |
5% |
|
Visiting the websites of organisations that I like |
13% |
15% |
15% |
9% |
|
Watching videos of performers/artists performing from home |
12% |
19% |
11% |
6% |
|
Watching broadcasts of concerts/plays online |
10% |
16% |
9% |
7% |
|
Following organisations/artists/performers on social media |
10% |
18% |
11% |
3% |
|
Teaching myself (e.g. an instrument, or how to paint) |
9% |
17% |
9% |
4% |
|
Taking online classes |
7% |
12% |
8% |
3% |
|
Other |
2% |
2% |
3% |
2% |
|
NET: doing something to pursue their interest in the Performing Arts |
60% |
77% |
62% |
44% |