We are all listening to more music than ever before

If you love giving your life a soundtrack, you’re not alone, as a new report has suggested we’re listening to more music than ever before.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), time spent listening to music worldwide has increased to 20.1 hours per week, compared to 18.1 hours per week in 2021.

That equates to 34 additional three-minute songs per week.

While the annual Engaging With Music report was not conducted in 2020 due to the pandemic, in 2019 it turned out to be 18 hours of listening per week.

This year found that on average, people listen to about eight different genres and use at least six different methods to interact with music

More than 500 different styles were identified by at least one respondent, including Brazil’s Sertanejo, Poland’s Disco-Polo, and the Indonesian folk music called Dangdut.

Meanwhile, people are involved with music in all kinds of different ways.

46% of respondents pay for audio streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music.

Video apps like TikTok have also become key to how people interact with music, with the report indicating that 63% of all time spent on such platforms is spent on videos where music plays a central role.

Frances Moore, CEO of IFPI, said: ‘This year’s Engaging with Music report paints a fascinating picture of how fans around the world listen to and interact with music today.

“It shows the results of record companies working with artists and their work to use new technologies to connect fans with their favorite songs in even more ways.