Music use in France
Every ten years, the French government surveys the music consumption of its citizens. Consumption is rising sharply, but things are not looking good for classical music.
According to the survey, never before have so many French people listened to music, regardless of style. 81 percent of respondents said they listen to music and 57 percent said they do so every day. In 2008, the figure was 34 percent and in 1973, 9 percent. The reason for this explosive growth is streaming platforms such as Spotify and Deezer.
Rock and jazz concerts, on the other hand, are being attended less and less (11% in 2018 compared to 13% in 1997). The same applies to classical music, where attendance at concerts continues to fall. Only 6% of respondents went to concerts, compared to 9% in 1997.
The study also confirms the ageing of classical concert audiences, mainly represented by the baby boom generation, who attended classical concerts most frequently, a trend already observed in previous studies. Only 15 percent of 15- to 28-year-olds went to a concert hall to listen to classical music during the year.
Every ten years or so, the French Ministry of Culture publishes a comprehensive study on the cultural practices of the French. The sixth edition was conducted from February 2018 to March 2019 with a sample of 9200 people over the age of 15.
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