Music Discovery: More Channels, More Problems

US consumers discover music through a wide range of channels

Across age groups, most listeners find new songs through playlists created by streaming services (digital service providers, or DSPs). Social media and other media types (e.g., syncs in movies, TV shows, video games) are also critical. But consumers don’t rely solely on media or tech sources: They still put a lot of stock in recommendations from friends, family, and trusted online communities.

The model has shifted from “one-to-many” to “many-to-many”

Music discovery used to be primarily a “one-to-many” model, with major gatekeepers and distribution channels (e.g., traditional radio, MTV, big-box record stores) driving popular music culture. Today’s discovery landscape is much more fragmented and complex, partially due to the streaming music model and “death of the monoculture.”

This evolution is reflected in our survey. No individual music discovery source dominates—18 different discovery options ranked in the top three for at least 5% of US respondents. Personalized playlists created by DSPs are the No. 1 source. Within social media, TikTok has established itself as the leading music discovery source. While no longer a dominant channel, radio (both traditional and satellite) remains an important music curator for US consumers.

Coveted younger fans rely even more heavily than the overall population on social media

It’s the top music discovery channel for 18- to 24-year-olds and ranks second for teenagers and 25- to 34-year-olds; a majority of each of these age groups rank it among their top three music discovery methods. This reflects how younger consumers have gravitated toward expressing themselves through shareable short-form videos with music embedded.

How do music marketers adapt?

To break through the noise, industry leaders will have to invest in new capabilities and tools.

• Use data analytics to meet consumers where they are with messages targeted to each channel and customer segment. Apply a “Moneyball” approach to social media and streaming platforms by tailoring content to what their algorithms value (e.g., repeat listening, engagement velocity, skip rates).
• Look for ways to surround music with critical ancillary content that deepens engagement, such as videos and lyrics. Authentic content can help artists organically embed themselves into music communities.
• Leverage tools to monitor engagement across channels and quickly identify emerging trends and viral moments to lean into to amplify reach.
• Build deep test-and-learn capabilities to keep up. Young demographics and the platforms they prefer evolve rapidly, requiring a nimble marketing approach informed by A/B tests.
• Our survey found that consumers discover new songs in similar ways regardless of prior fandom. That means music marketers must be just as strategic and targeted when introducing new music from established artists as from newer ones.