Decoding the Digital Consumer An Analysis of the Digital Music Behaviour of UK Consumers

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The 20,000 Foot View

       years after the launch of the iTunes Store and        years after the launch of Spotify, digital music remains a largely niche sector, with the notable exception of YouTube. Despite a decade of contraction the CD remains the most pervasive music product while radio is the dominant consumption platform. Subscriptions are making some headway but churn looks set to become an important part of the digital landscape.

Key Findings

• Radio and CD still outshine all digital music activities other than online music video
       years after the launch of the iTunes Store music download buyer penetration is just        though album purchasing is now just as widespread as single track buying
• Streaming adoption is still relatively niche and paid subscriptions stand at just        penetration
• Pricing, commitment issues and trepidation all act as barriers to consumer adoption of subscription services
• The CD still reigns even for digital consumers, with        of digital music buyers and        of music subscribers buying CDs at least monthly 
• Non-Network Piracy is replacing        as the music sharing choice of Digital Natives, with Digital Immigrants still clinging to       
• A quarter of music subscribers are also pirates
• There is a music subscriber gender divide:        of subscribers are male 
• Subscription service churn is going to become a major component of the digital market:        of the entire subscriber audience have either churned or plan to churn

Companies mentioned in this report: Apple iTunes Store, iPlayer, BBC, YouTube