- 83% of UK adults to experience classical and choral music this Christmas
- A month of discovery: 51% of people with no prior connection to classical music say they will give it a go
The popularity of orchestral music in the UK is set to peak this month as the country gets firmly in the mood for Christmas.
New research from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) indicates that 83% of UK adults say they will engage with classical and choral music in some shape or form during the month ahead – a rise on 76% from the summer.
Whether listening to choral Christmas music at home as the tree goes up, enjoying calming classical music in the car on the way to the shops, attending an orchestral Christmas concert or enjoying classical radio over the festive period – Christmas is a time of year that will see a surge in the number of people engaging with the classical genre.
With the Christmas countdown underway, the RPO asked a representative sample of 2,000 adults how they would experience classical music during the month of December.
Top 10 ways people will experience classical / orchestral music this month
- Listen to Christmas carols / choral music at home – 48%
- Enjoy Christmas orchestral music at home or in the car - 25%
- Watch a film / TV programme with an orchestral score – 22%
- Add classical Christmas music to a streaming playlist – 20%
- Sing Christmas carols with family / friends at home – 20%
- Listen to classical / orchestral music on the radio – 17%
- Attend an orchestral concert to see the year out – 14%
- Play Christmas carols at work – 12%
- Watch orchestral concerts / documentaries on YouTube – 11%
- Will stream a Christmas/festive concert online – 10%
A time to start new journeys of discovery
The RPO study also suggests that Christmas is a time when many people will start a journey of exploration with orchestral music. Nationally, 88% of people that are new to the genre say they will delve deeper over the festive period and 51% of those that have no relationship with the genre say they will give it a go over Christmas.
Fans of other genres switch to classical music over Christmas
Also, many people who prefer other genres of music will stray into the orchestral world over Christmas. For example, people whose favourite music is rock and metal say they will listen to some classical Christmas music in the car (26%), whilst 22% of Blues and Country fans will switch to classical radio over Christmas. Elsewhere, fans of Dance and Rap will sing Christmas carols at home with loved ones over the festive period (21%), whilst Indie music fans said they will add classical music to their Christmas streaming playlists (21%).
Regional round-up
Around the UK, festive classical habits varied. Welsh people are most likely to enjoy listening to Christmas music at home when the tree and decorations go up (56%), whilst Londoners are most likely to add classical music to their on-the-go playlists (25%) and attend an orchestral concert over the festive period (24%). The North East is the place where people are most likely to get together and sing Christmas carols at home (30%) - whilst those in the South East are most likely to listen to classical radio over the festive period (21%).
These trends play out in the Christmas playlists people will be putting together for the month ahead. The RPO also asked people what their go-to songs or music would be to kick-start the Christmas countdown – and six of the top 15 pieces of music picked were from the choral and classical genre [for details see notes to editor].
Sarah Bardwell, Managing Director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra comments: “Over the last 18 months, our research has quantified the size and diversity of new audiences that are experiencing the orchestral world for the first time. Technology has played its part in making the genre more accessible, but our data also suggests that the thrill of a live performance and the diversity of concert programming is also playing a significant role. Our latest research suggests many people will experience classical and choral music for the first time over Christmas, whilst others will take their journeys of discovery a step further. At the RPO, we are committed to presenting the joy of orchestral music to the broadest possible audience and this is reflected in our 2025 season which offers a diverse range of orchestral music - from film scores and video game music to family-friendly concerts, alongside a wide range of traditional repertoire both old and new, including Christmas music.”
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