Why we stop discovering new music at age 30
Surveys suggest we stop discovering new music at age 30, but why is that?
A recent survey from Deezer suggests we stop listening to music at age 30 potentially because of a busy life, nostalgia towards old music, the overwhelming choice seen today and on a more scientific level; a change in our brain’s receptiveness towards music.
We all remember the days excavating for new music on the daily, unearthing treasure troves of sonic bloom. I’m not even 30, and my own excavation has dwindled in the tail end of my 20’s; something that 60% of 1000 Brits surveyed can attest to, while 25% said they are unlikely to try new music outside of their preferred genres.
The survey also suggests the peak age for discovering new music is 24, with 75% of respondents listening to 10 new tracks a week, and 64% seeking out 5 new artists per month.
The reasons why…
Here are reasons for the music decline from the Deezer survey:
19% are overwhelmed by the amount of choice available; think about how many artists are out there pumping out music through the myriad platforms, waiting to be discovered.
16% chalked it up to having a demanding job and 11% caring for young children.
Though nearly half of respondents said they wished they had more time to discover new music, which is a positive sign.
A study published in the journal Memory & Cognition suggests that rather than having less time, we listen to the same music over and over again because of musical nostalgia and how our favourite songs stimulate pleasure responses in the brain.
Our brains also go through many changes during our adolescent years, making us hormonal and sensitive (good times), making musical imprint more powerful than later in life.
We don’t have to give up on discovering new music, even if it’s one new song a week.
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