MusicWatch: Radio isn’t sparking passion and affinity among younger listeners

Music has always been a potent force for inspiring emotions, but that passion can extend to music platforms as well. Recent data from MusicWatch found a possible reason why so many studies are seeing low interest in radio among the younger generations.

In a recent survey, MusicWatch asked participants about their affinities for different services and platforms for accessing music. Spotify Premium received a huge outpouring of support, with 78% saying they “love it.” Apple Music felt the love from 65% and Pandora from 51%. AM/FM radio, on the other hand, only got the “love it” response from 34% of respondents. Among the 13-24 age bracket, the rate dropped to just 18%.

Positive feelings about a platform seem to correspond to greater chances of recommending a service to others. Spotify Premium had a “net promoter score” of 73 out of 100, with 79% likely to actively promote the service and only 6% reported as detractors. Radio had only 45% likely to promote it, while 29% were passive and 27% were detractors, yielding a net promoter score of 18.

“If affinity is a leading indicator, a predictor of future success, AM/FM has a problem- especially among younger listeners,” MusicWatch’s Russ Crupnick wrote. With the passions of young generations focused elsewhere, radio may struggle to keep up against a growing trend in favor of streaming.