A Study on Consumer Insights into Music Listening Habits and Preferences: A Study of Emerging Trends

Abstract

The impact of music on youth has been at the heart of how young people develop their identity, express emotion, and interact socially, particularly within the diversity of cultural regions. This research investigates how the musical preferences, listening habits, and engagement behaviours of youth in regional communities are informed by cultural identity and social context. The rapid advancement of digitised music and access to streamed music from all around the world has significantly increased young
people’s exposure to new types of music. In contrast, there are still many ways that regional languages and culturally significant symbols contribute to young people’s individual music preferences. This research is conducted using a quantitative survey strategy to identify key characteristics that shape the development of music preferences amongst youth 15–25 years of age, including music genre selection, frequency of music consumption, cultural influences on music preferences, use of technology to facilitate music preferences, and peer-driven behaviours related to music consumption. The results of this research will further clarify how the social environments of young people, their background culture, and their regional identity impact their music preferences and how young people incorporate music into their daily routines for purposes of emotional regulation, human connection, and expression of self. The results of this research will provide actionable insights to music producers, marketers, and creators who wish to create culturally relevant music albums that are likely to engage young audiences that represent a wide variety of cultures. By better understanding the regional music preferences and cultural expectations of young people, this research has the potential to provide more culturally relevant, authentic, and impactful music content to support a variety of contemporary youth and culture.