Research shows role of lyrics in streaming

What is the role of lyrics in streaming? Credit: Jaime González

A new report has identified the importance of lyrics to consumers streaming music in parts of Europe and North America

We are living in a more interactive world these days; lyrics are no longer confined to the pages of an album booklet, they are everywhere from websites to YouTube and Vevo. A report out this week reflects a shift in consumers attitudes towards lyrics, as streamers all over the world want to know the words to their favourite songs.

The results of the survey carried out by MIDiA, on behalf of the lyric database website LyricFind, during November 2017 spoke to consumers in the US, UK, and Germany. And the findings are interesting.

So, what is the role of lyrics in streaming? Firstly, the report gives the reasons for the new trend. A staggering 81% of people simply want to know the words of the songs they listen to. While 72% of those listeners do it so they can singalong accurately. 61% believe that lyrics are important, and 34% search lyrics for the social aspect of singing with friends.

Perhaps the most interesting and decisive feedback from the survey is that 25 – 34-year olds will switch streaming services to access lyrics, while 19 – 24-year olds want new lyrics features on streaming services. There’s good news for Spotify, as the streaming site has the largest weekly user base of all streaming services (20%), with Amazon and Apple in joint second with 12%.

The report concludes that, although 2017 was a ground-breaking year for music streaming, and 2018 looks set to continue this, we are nearing a peak where streaming services will need to be more innovative to fend off rivals. Now consumers are attracted to playlists, but soon features like lyrics and video could become just as important.

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