Deezer reveals what you really think about albums
● Over half of us listen to fewer albums than 5 -10 years ago…
● Biggest reasons: being too busy and artists not making albums like they used to
● High-quality sound can make us reconsider our choices. 94% feel high audio quality is important for full album listening
● Millennials are rooting for the album and are twice as likely to listen as baby boomers
● Albums can even improve your mood! People report feeling happy, excited and inspired when listening to a new album
Can you remember the last time you listened to an entire album? Probably not as recently as you used to. Deezer’s new global study of 8,000 people* found that over half (54%) are listening to fewer albums than 5 – 10 years ago.
Why? The answer is simple. Fans prefer hearing a mix of tracks from different artists. Having too much music to choose from and a busy schedule has added to the decline of albums. In addition, 1 in 10 of our respondents also feel that artists don’t make albums like they used to.
Instead, almost 40% of you prefer playlists. Mood mixes also take your fancy, while over 55’s saying they’re listening to individual songs instead (34%). Only 9% of the people we asked favor albums. Surprisingly, millennials are twice as likely as baby boomers to deep-dive into an album.
But let’s not give albums a send-off just yet. Our study found that on average, people are streaming five albums per month. There’s some variation per country. Brazilians listen to the most, with French and Germans the least. While 36% listen to the tracks in chronological order, two in five (40%) Brazilians like shuffling their albums.
So what’s the answer to getting back the album’s former fame? Well, 94% of you agree that higher audio quality is the most important feature for album listening. Four out of ten people also listen to albums when they need a distraction. Meanwhile, 34% listen in their free time and over a quarter (26%) listen when they are happy.
And speaking of happiness… If you’re looking for that feel-good boost, just hit play on a new album. We found that when you hear an album for the first time, it makes you feel happy (48%), excited (46%) and inspired (24%).
“The amount of great music released these days is so huge and available time has shrunk so much, it’s no surprise that more music fans turn to playlists for their music fix. But listeners shouldn’t ditch albums. They represent the artist’s vision, tell a story and take you on a musical journey.” said Frederic Antelme, who is Deezer’s VP Content and Productions.
“They actually give you a deeper listening experience. That’s why people pay much more attention to the sound quality when listening to albums. The small details matter and HiFi sound brings that out. As a music fan, I can honestly recommend all listeners enjoy a full album from their favorite artist, even if it’s just from time to time.” he added.
Pop and rock* are storming ahead when it comes to the albums that get your foot tapping. Local genres are getting you going too. For Brazil it’s Sertanejo (44%), Variété Français in France (43%) and Schlager in Germany (24%).
So if you’re ready to get cracking, music is definitely best enjoyed at home. A whole 82% of you prefer listening in the comfort of your own house. At the same time, 42% like listening to an album during a car journey, followed by on a walk, the commute and then in bed.
If you’re stuck for some inspiration, check out the most streamed albums on Deezer and find your favorite album or a brand new one!
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*Deezer’s survey of 8,000 worldwide adults was conducted by 3Gem in January 2020. The survey interviewed 2,000 respondents each from the USA, Germany, France and Brazil.
*The top 10 genres of music for ‘full album listening’ across the world:
1 Pop – 39%
2 Rock – 38%
3 R&B – 20%
4 Rap – 19%
5 Hip Hop – 18%
6 Country – 16%
7 Soundtracks – 14%
8 Variété française – 14%
9 Dance – 13%
10 Gospel – 13%
