Australian music fans are a ‘force for positive change’: Report

When P!nk took the mic at the Choice Music Awards yesterday and told viewers to “change the fucking world,” she was speaking to the right crowd.

Music fans are highly motivated to change society for the good. They’re ready to rumble and their pockets are deeper than you’d think, a new study has found.

The first-of-its-kind  ‘Love Song’ survey was conducted by Jess Ducrou and Paul Piticco’s live music company Secret Sounds, which reached out to almost 10,000 music fans.

The results are in and they illustrate an engaged, influential and inter-generational group of people. They’re progressive, they’re strong supporters of culture and “they’re a force for positive change.”

Splendour in the Grass

Among the key findings: The average music lover engages with music for around 5 hours each day, they’re relatively cashed-up (a third have at least $10,000 in savings, more than the average Aussie) and upwards of a third of respondents seek their inspiration from activists.

Social media is — no surprise – a regular, virtual meeting place for music fans. More than half of them boast more than 500 Instagram followers, well above the average 18-34-year-old Australian (17%). And they use social media to spread ideas with their networks (more than six-times every month).

Some 92% of those interviewed agreed that young people need to engage with global issues for matters to improve.

The study is more than a feel-good reminder for those of us who can’t live without tunes. It’s a script for brands keen to connect and get the best possible bang for buck.

According to the report, nearly 1,000 revellers at Splendour in the Grass answered a 15-question survey at the 2019 festival, the results of which should shape the way brands approach outdoor events.

More than two-thirds said brand activations have a huge impact on driving positive attitudes towards brands, and a “massive” 84% said that after their festival brand experience they were “more likely or likely” to purchase or use the brand.

For the study, Secret Sounds partnered with Pollinate, the independent research agency, to survey 9,866 music fans aged over 16 on a range of issues.

The questionnaire was distributed to a subset of Secret Sounds subscribers who were given the chance to win VIP tickets to Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival and Secret Sounds touring artists to incentivise participation.

Read the full report here.

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