Discovery: Unwrapping Music Engagement

As the end of the year approaches, people look back at what they’ve achieved and experienced throughout the year. Reliving these memories is a bittersweet and nostalgic moment for many.

In an effort to capture more of these moments, every year Spotify users receive their very own Spotify Wrapped, a personalized recap of the songs and artists they listened to most. Do people care to get music and artist recommendations? How likely are they to recommend the service based off relevant music suggestions?

Our recent Music Engagement survey, which reached over 22,000 users of the DISQO Audience, has the answers to these questions and more. Here’s what the study covers:

• Excitement & accuracy regarding Spotify Wrapped
• Music consumption frequencies
• Desire for personalized music recommendations
• Sentiment regarding accurate music recommendations
• Likelihood to recommend a streaming service

Spotify Wrapped

Our results revealed that 79% are excited to receive their Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year. Why does this excitement matter? For starters, it showcases consumer interest to see their own behaviors over time. It also speaks to their desire to see data about themselves, which could indicate a call for greater transparency in the industry.

While some (23%) haven’t checked their personalized package yet, 55% of those who have checked would say that the recap is accurate. Since Spotify Wrapped is based on actual listening behaviors for each account, technically it is an accurate depiction of the music and artists listened to most by that user. So why don’t 100% of users view Spotify Wrapped as 100% accurate? This is a reminder of the “recall gap”, which suggests that people may not always remember every detail about their own behaviors. Moments they do remember, may not be depicted in full accuracy. Check out our report on the Say-Do Gap to learn more. 

Music Consumption

Looking at all survey participants as a whole regardless of Spotify account ownership, 41% admit to listening to music for several hours daily. Another 26% listen to music for one hour or less daily and 21% listen several times per week. Music is clearly a big part of people’s lives, which poses an opportunity for brands to increase their exposure, especially since 62% opt out of a premium ad-free account.

Personalized Recommendations

As the popularity of various music streaming services have ebbed and flowed over the years, some have thrived thanks to their ability to deliver data-driven content recommendations to their users.

However, how prevalent is the desire for personalized music recommendations, and what effect do they have on the user experience? Interestingly, the population is relatively split, with 48% interested in personalized recommendations, and 52% disinterested.

Given that a considerable majority (81%) are happy when they receive music recommendations that match their interests, the tepid interest in platform recommendations may suggest a lack of faith in the music streaming services these individuals use.

In the pursuit of providing an enjoyable user experience, how can streaming services improve their algorithms to generate more relevant recommendations?

Recommending the Service

A majority of survey participants (62%) said that they would recommend a music streaming service if they were to receive relevant music suggestions. Taking the time to listen to your customers and continually cater to their interests is one of the most valuable things a brand can do. Positive word-of-mouth is a powerful way to attain new customers and can help build a positive brand reputation over time.

Music Recommendations & Sentiment

Receiving relevant music recommendations not only leads to positive word-of-mouth, but it also leads to a positive change in mood. In fact, 81% reported that they feel happier when receiving artist and song recommendations that match their interests. In the pursuit for consumer happiness in the products people use every day, we believe this shouldn’t be ignored. Keeping customers happy should be at the core of every business decision.

Takeaways

Music is a significant part of people’s weekly and even daily lives, posing a major opportunity for brands to target specific audiences and increase their reach. It’s important for companies to understand their customers, sometimes even on an individual basis, in order to cater relevant content to them and generate positive conversation about the brand. Get started on the DISQO CX platform today. 

About the Study

The Music Engagement Survey was conducted in December 2019 and reached 22,059 members of the DISQO Audience. The study uncovered music consumption frequencies, the desire for personalization, and consumer sentiment regarding music recommendations.