In music discovery, 30 is the new old

Still listening to your fave grunge records on repeat because all the new stuff is nonsense? Are you convinced Triple J has gone off the boil and those other networks are programmed by tone-deaf kids? It’s ok. You’re not alone. You’re just old. And when it comes to discovering music, 30 is the new old.

A new study commissioned by the France-based streaming service Deezer found most consumers give up finding new music nuggets when they reach the big 3-0. The reasons are many and varied, from lack of time and energy, feeling overwhelmed by the tens of millions of tunes at your fingertips, raising kids and, in some cases, just not caring any more. In general, adult stuff gets in the way.

Deezer surveyed 1,000 Brits about their music preferences and listening habits, and found 60% of respondents were stuck with their golden oldies, with just over a quarter saying they wouldn’t be likely to try music they’re not familiar with.

When it comes with music discovery, we tend to peak at 24

Which just so happens to be at the top end of target demographic for Triple J, the self-styled “music discovery” platform. At this age, roughly three quarters of respondents reported listening to ten or more new tracks per week and 64% said they were pursuing at least five new artists each month.

According to the findings, women are likely to mature earlier, finding their peak of musical discovery at age 23 years and four months.

Almost half of those interviewed for the survey said they wish they could spend more time discovering new music, with about two fifths predicting they would spend more time seeking out new artists.

Adam Read, the U.K. & Ireland music editor at Deezer, calls this totally normal opt-out phenomenon “musical paralysis,” and there’s no known cure, except, perhaps, a curious nature and an insatiable appetite for new music.

Broadcasters and streaming brands already know their listeners graduate and move on

The smart ones will accept that, and give them something they want. It’s a drum the BBC and the ABC, which launched Double J specifically to serve “mature” music fans, have been banging for years. Now we know when the new music stops for most folks.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.