Project Phoenix is Bauer Media’s window on the world of music and an unrivalled view of the opportunities and challenges that the UK music industry faces. After conducting 1800 interviews with consumers aged 16-45 the results are back and we are ready to reveal our findings. After the initial phase of Project Phoenix 1 (2003), we have witnessed some of the biggest consumer shifts the music industry has ever seen and some unique indicators for the future of the business.
Key Findings
Music is Still the UK’s Key Passion and is Bigger Than Ever
- More people are interested in music than any other passion/interest (e.g. films, shopping, sport, fashion etc)
- People are listening to more music than ever before
The UK’s Connection With Music is Evolving
- The mainstream even have an active approach to seeking out music
- Everybody now takes a pick and mix approach to music
Live is Where the Energy is at
- No evidence of decline in people’s attachment to live music
- In paradox to the decline in the album/single/video, live is the heartbeat to the music fan’s life
Brands are Welcome
- Consumers accept the involvement of brands in the music space
- People recognise the music industry needs new sources of revenue
- Broadly brands have succeeded with music event sponsorship
Project Phoenix’s Music Segmentation
As part of the research, we’ve also conducted an in-depth segmentation of the UK marketplace, breaking people into groups defined by their relative interest and passion for music. This segmentation can aid the targeting strategies of any advertiser seeking to use music as a means to get closer to their consumers.
Background Listeners (39% of the 16-45 population)
Background listeners are not as passionate about music as most.
Music is the backdrop to their day rather than the main focus. They enjoy having music on, and listening to an iPod or the radio a lot.
Background listeners are more likely to be female.
Songs are more important than albums, and they mainly listen to music at home or in the car (although they listen to music less often than all other segments).
Background listeners don’t go to concerts – if they do, it’s a rare occurrence and probably a stadium or arena gig.
The Headliners (20% of the 16-45 population)
Headliners like music, but are no more passionate about it than the average person of the same age.
The music they’re into has a lot to do with what’s hot at the moment – big name artists, people in the press a lot, the big summer anthems.
Headliners are more likely to be male and the group is slightly skewed towards the under-30s.
They are more likely than other segments to place emphasis on whether the artist is well known or whether they think the artist is cool.
Fame and celebrity are important factors to them – sometimes the face of the artist is more interesting than the music. They are happy to buy products or brands promoted by their favourite artist.
When out clubbing, socialising with friends is more important than seeing the DJ. It is about the overall experience, not just the act – having fun and seeing friends.
Track Hunters (24% of the 16-45 population)
They like discovering new bands, but are probably not the first person to find out about new artists.
Track Hunters are slightly more likely to be female.
The Track Hunter doesn’t buy into celebrity culture and fads – they think the albums are as important as the songs, and are more interested in the artists’ music than their lifestyle.
They think music is best enjoyed live, and when they go to a gig it’s to see a band they’ve heard good reviews about.
Pace-setters (17% of the 16-45 population)
Pacesetters see themselves as being interested in different things to the mainstream and as having a true passion for music.
A male skewed group, more likely to be ABC1, in terms of social grade.
They talk to friends about music a lot, and even argue with them about music and bands.
Whilst the Pacesetter group includes people who have an obsessional interest in music, it‘s fairly diverse but not all members are that extreme – what they all have in common though is a deep rooted passion for music.
