The music industry has undergone one of the biggest revolutions over the past three decades. A countrywide survey by Research Co. provides a fresh look at how Canadians are listening to music, their willingness to spend money on it and their views on what artists are earning.
When it comes to music, it is safe to report that video didn't kill the radio star, contrary to what the Buggles predicted in 1979. More than two-thirds of Canadians (69 per cent) listened to music on the radio last week. There are some subtle differences in age, with those aged 55 and over tuning in to their radios more often than their younger counterparts (74 per cent, compared to 67 per cent for those aged 35 to 54 and 62 per cent for those aged 18 to 34).
A third of Canadians (32 per cent) listened to music streaming services over the past week. Women are more likely to be doing this than men (37 per cent to 27 per cent), and those aged 18 to 34 are definitely embracing this concept. More than half of Canadians in that age group (54 per cent) are streaming, while fewer members of Generation X (35 per cent) and baby boomers (17 per cent) partake.
There are no big changes among generations when it comes to listening to music files stored in a device (31 per cent across the country). There is, however, nostalgia for Canadians who listened to music on LPs, cassettes or compact discs last week. From a high of 31 per cent among baby boomers, the proportion drops to 16 per cent for Generation X and 12 per cent for the younger group.
For 15 per cent of Canadians, satellite radio is one of the options for music listening. This service allows subscribers to have absolute control over specific genres, decades and artists.
In spite of the seemingly open domain of music listening, Canadians are not particularly happy to part with cash in order to hear their favourite artists. In the last month, only 19 per cent of Canadians said they paid to access a music streaming service. The proportion of paid streaming subscribers climbs to 36 per cent among Canadians aged 18 to 34 and to 25 per cent for those in the highest income bracket.
Even fewer Canadians (12 per cent) paid for and downloaded a song online in the past month. Once again, those in the younger age group are more likely to have done this (22 per cent) than members of the middle group (15 per cent) and baby boomers (five per cent).
Lastly, fewer than one in 10 Canadians (nine per cent) bought a compact disc or LP record in the last month. The days of waiting outside the store for the latest release by a favourite artist are gone. Musicians are now showcasing albums entirely online.
Across the country, a majority of residents (51 per cent) say music creators are fairly compensated for their work, while one-third (33 per cent) disagree with this assessment and 16 per cent are undecided.
Canadians aged 18 to 34, who are spending more on downloaded songs and streaming services than their older counterparts, are more likely to feel that the artists are making what they should be making (68 per cent). Canadians over the age of 35, who are stingier when it comes to spending on music, are not as convinced (46 per cent for Generation X and 45 per cent for baby boomers).
As the survey has shown, the 18-to-34 age group are more likely to already be spending money on downloads and streaming services than older Canadians. This is a group that is better prepared for today's technology than baby boomers and that did not experience Napster. Canada's youngest adults are willing to part with their cash to access the artists they like. The battle for their ears will define the future of the music industry.
Results are based on an online study conducted from February 21 to February 24, 2019, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error - which measures sample variability - is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
