New survey claims that “musical paralysis” sets in as people get older – but are they right?
A new survey claims that most people lose their appetite for new by the time they turn 30 – and that many music lovers are stuck in a rut.
Commissioned by streaming site Deezer, the survey finds that something called “musical paralysis” – when music fans stop discovering new music – is most likely to hit those aged 30 years and six months.
Quizzed on the reasons why they stopped caring, people said everything from having kids to simply being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of music out there.
If that wasn’t depressing enough, 60 per of the people questioned said that they felt stuck in a musical rut, only listening to artists they already know.
The populations of Wales and the North West of England are the ones really letting the side down – apparently the former give up on finding new music at 24 years and eight months, while the latter lose interest at 23 years and nine months.
But hats off to Scottish music fans who come out on top in the survey, resisting “musical paralysis” until the age of 40 years and seven months on average.
But, why do people stop discovering new music?
The answer is time, or lack thereof.
25% of respondents had a demanding job. 18% felt just too overwhelmed with the breadth of music choices available. And, 14% had to care for young children.
Is this the same for both men and women?
Not at all. Researchers found that women, on average globally, are likely hit their peak at 2 months before their 25th birthday. Their male counterparts peaked 4 months after turning 25.
So, are we all just bored with new music?
Amazingly, no. Researchers found that three-fifths (60%) of all respondents desperately yearned for more time to listen to new music. Over half (53%) vowed to set time apart “in the future” to seek out new artists.
Other factors may be cooling the discovery fire. Younger people are often in more varied communities, and more plugged into wider culture. But there’s also a personal discovery process that aligns with music, and helps to shape it. Once you find yourself, maybe you’ve found your life’s playlists as well.
Unfortunately, the people behind the survey don’t offer a cure for this mysterious condition beyond listening to Deezer. But may we suggest checking out our favorite new tracks of the week, listening to our New Music Mondays or New Voices Playlists or simply heading out to your nearest music venue to see what’s on offer.
