Study says average person stops seeking out new music by age 28

I think that was maybe true when you were buying music and had to be careful about what you pick up - sticking to known quantaties or taking recommendations from people you trust - but in the digital age and having the likes of Spotify and Google Play Music, you can take a shot at something and not be worried about the costs - in the past few years I've discovered quite a few artists in different genres.

Doctor_Thomas said:

I think that was maybe true when you were buying music and had to be careful about what you pick up - sticking to known quantaties or taking recommendations from people you trust - but in the digital age and having the likes of Spotify and Google Play Music, you can take a shot at something and not be worried about the costs - in the past few years I've discovered quite a few artists in different genres.

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This info is based on people's streaming habits, so no, this isn't old timey CD/vinyl era people not listening to new music.

That's because average people are boring.

For me it was the end of school. I used to be able to get all my music info from my friends who were hardcore about it.

I like music, BUT I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE listening to music I don't totally love (so I find sorting through new stuff super unenjoyable).

Nowadays it's 90% podcasts/audiobooks. 9% old music I know I like when drinking or working out. 1% checking out new stuff.

If I was still buying music individually this would probably be true for me but Spotify has made me hungrier than ever for music. I don't even look back and think the music was better in the past either. Not tryin' to nail down specific sub genres but I think that there is a lot of Dance music atm that is some of the best I've ever heard.

Finding new music to listen to is not that easy, not as a focused activity at least. I mostly discover music by accident, overhearing a song or melody in a random video on youtube and then looking it up. I do not sit down and hunt for music, it's strange but I find it very difficult to simply sit down and actively just listen to music that I don't know I like or not because I've never listened to it.
I'm somewhat able to do this by starting a song in the background and doing other stuff on the computer but that is rare too.

Also "new music" is somewhat irrelevant to me as there is plenty of old stuff do discover (implying "new" was meant for the creation date of songs).

Until very recently I always found new music in the game Audioshield as there were alyways recommended songs and I went through them while playing the game, but the youtube feature broke and now that is done I think :(

I'm more of a 90s early 2000s hip hop rap fan

I just like today's rap beats more than the artists themselves.

I'm still looking but I'm finding less and less worthwhile artists for my efforts.

31 and my new music search is defined by Spotify weekly based on my history and activity.

If it wasn't for spotify I'd have ceased listening to anything new years ago and even now it's not a whole lot. Age 35.

I'm looking for music right now and I am above age 28

I am still cool dammit

I managed to make it past the hump (thought it was older in previous studies), but I can understand that happening and I'm finally starting to feel it myself to an extent.

There's some artist I'm always gonna be checking for though, and I can't see myself not exploring end of year best-of lists and the such.

That's exactly when I stopped... I'm 32 and don't really care to look for new music. If I hear it, cool. I've turned to a straight radio guy now.

I think you could replace "seeking out music" by lots of things. Life gets in the way at that point for most.

Bet it is the same thing with games and movies.

DemolitionAX said:

Black metal and death metal ftw :)

Got any favorite bands? I gotta say, i love Gorgoroth and Satyricon

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At the top of my black metal heap are Emperor, early Bathory, Uada, Immortal, And Wolves In The Throne Room. I'd throw Behemoth on the list too because they were my gateway drug, but people still debate over whether or not they are actually black metal.

I'm 24 and I think I stopped about a year ago. I used to listen to the new songs posted on different YouTube channels but I really don't have the nerve to do it anymore.

On a related note, it kills me when people post dumb-ass memes with Biggie/Tupac with the caption reading "my hip-hop" paired up with Takashi 69 and Uzi Vert saying "modern hip hop". Without even doing a 5 second google search to seek out substantive artists, J. Cole and Kendrick are two of the biggest mainstream rappers out. "Muh real hip hop" didn't fucking die in the 90s.

This is... pretty true. I ended up doing the same thing around age 30.

I might like something new every now and then but I'm not actively seeking new music all the time like I did before.

I'm 30 and I definitely hit a slump for awhile. Oddly enough it happened with the death of apnet. Chorus.fm is a great site that I still use today but when apnet died I lost all motivation for seeking out new music. Now I just check out end of the year lists and "artists to watch" type things and serve what sticks with me. Before I used to listen to every new band I had not heard before just so I could use it as a touchstone in conversation.

I can't help be feel that part of this isn't due to the people themselves changing, but because for most people at that age music "discovery" used to mean listening to the radio, which has always been quite limited compared to what the internet provides, and that's just a habit that followed them into the streaming era.

Internet streaming isn't really old enough for us to say that someone who's grown up with the concept will stop seeking out new music through it by a certain age.

Yeah, that's true for me as well. My playlists haven't changed much in a long time.

THAT'S BS!

Music is just terrible right now!

I'm an exception. 31, seeking out new music in different genres regularly.

It's not true for me. I'm 34 and still look for new music. Youtube, Spotify, Google Play Music, these forums, and Reddit help greatly to discover new music.

I just randomly started to get into 80's Japanese jpop/funk at the age of 32. Still too early to call I guess since I'm sure that's still within the margin of error... but yeah I don't see any reason I'd stop exploring new things that draw my attention.

I could also mention that my mom started getting into country in her 50's after being a classic rock person... but then I'd have to acknowledge the existence of that twangy garbage.

28 here. I regularly seek out new music.

I refuse, I refuse, I refuse. I love paramore

I feel like there only so many genres a human lifetime can experience and you burn through them pretty quick. It also takes about 2 years or so for someone's offshoot to actually take on a genre of its own.

Late 30's here and I hate hearing the same songs, the pop radio stations annoy me so much. These days I turn on talk radio and I also turn to French stations (I'm 5 minutes from Quebec). French music is very good, wish I understood the lyrics!

I imagine the average 28 year old doesn't have much free time so it makes sense most wouldn't seek out new music unless they're a big music fan.

I was like 23 when I quit looking for new music. I am now exposed to new music because I have two teens but I don't actively seek it out myself.

I just turned 28. Guess it's all over for me.

I turn 29 soon. I haven't looked for new music since like 2008.

I'm glad I'm not the average person, I think I listen to way too much music to ever just stop seeking new tunes. My tastes have only broadened as I've gotten older as well. Technology has made it way too easy to find new music.

That... seems.... quite about right haha. I really haven't found the time like I used to for new/old music now I'm just a boring schmuck listening the same stuff over and over.

I stopped listening to western music when I was 25 and still off for since. I have moved on some weeabo shit like Hatsune Miku and J-Rock, so it's really about this accurate.

I still listen to new music and like new songs, but there are no artist that I follow or seek out anymore. I think the newest artist that I seek out when their new stuff is coming out or what they are up too came out in like 2008.

The Woods said:

I'm 33 and I do listen less new music than when I was young, but I certainly haven't stopped by any means. I've music on almost every day while travelling or working at home, I'd go a bit mad without throwing in some new artists or albums once in awhile.

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Also 33 and I definitely have my "pocket" of music, but I still listen to new stuff. Some of it even winds up in that pocket and become classics.

But, I've slowed down. Or have gotten more discerning. Or jaded and grumpy. Whatever.

Hasn't at all been the case for me. I've actively sought-after and discovered way more amazing new artists and musical works in my thirties and forties than before. (Same for cinema and other arts, as well.)

I'm 39 and I still seek out new music. Life is boring listening to the same stuff over and over.

Not true in my case, but I can probably thank Spotify for that.

Completely true. I'm the rare person that's kept finding new music. Everyone else I know stopped in college.

Not true in my case.

As I get older I discover music from the 50,60,70,80s

Before the age of 14 I didnt care about music and in my teens I listened to music from 90s and 00s.

31 here — while I have my favorites. I'm still open to new music. I just discovered a new rock band my brother suggested to me.

It's true. That's why olds all think the 90's was the golden age of hip hop.

Would be true for me if I didn't have a Spotify sub. As it stands, I discover new music I love all the time. Artist radio is my jam.

I actually did stop about that time or maybe sooner. Then about thirty four or thirty five, I started seeking out new music out of boredom and discovered lots of new groups. Can't believe I shut myself out for years.