Music is a part of most people’s everyday life but which way of listening is the most popular according to Colchester citizens? It seems with each passing decade, a new way of listening emerges, now considering all these choices on how you can enjoy your favourite songs, how do you choose? In this interview there are members of Generation X (Born 1965-1980) and Generation Z (Born 1996-2010) from Colchester. Let’s see if age plays a role in their favourite music platform. 

 

Generation X (Gen X) and Generation Z (Gen Z) have had very different experiences in regards to their accessibility with different music platforms. Gen X has grown up with the biggest evolution in music formatting, starting with vinyls, CDs, MP3s and, most recently, streaming services. They grew up with each platform when it was most popular and had to learn the pros and cons of each as they came out. Whereas Gen Z have not experienced these formats in their prime at the same level as Gen X, but they have had the most experience with modern technology. 

 

This experience is reflected in the interviewees' answers as 78% of Gen Z’s said that they prefer an online streaming service such as Spotify or Apple Music. The reasons why vary but most, like Ben, 17, find that streaming services are “convenient” and like Jasmine, 17, find that “there’s a wider access to different songs, unlike CDs or vinyls where you have to buy copies of everything.”

 

One hugely appealing factor to streaming services for the younger generation is the social aspect. Jasmine likes how she “can listen to other people’s playlists” and “see what [her] family and friends are listening to”. The ability to track and share the music you like is a very big reason as to why people prefer to use these online streaming services.

 

Just because most Gen Z interviewees prefer streaming services, does not mean that other ways of listening are ignored. Bronwyn, 17, “used to watch music videos on cable TV,” and “really likes CDs.” Also, Izzy, 17, said that “in the past, I used to get CDs, but after I started using Spotify I never really went back.”. It seems the second most popular platform in Gen Z are CDs, as from those that do listen to the compact discs, 80% said that they are their second favourite platform. 

 

However, of course not every Gen Z prefers online streaming services, Hazel, 18, prefers having a “physical copy” of the music she likes, which is why she listens to cassettes. She quotes “cassettes allow you to solely listen in track order which I really enjoy as it’s how I feel those albums were intended to be listened to”. This is much unlike Rosie, 17, who likes the “convenience of switching songs quickly”. 

 

Gen X seem to prefer CDs and vinyl, which are both formats that they saw the rise and fall of. Melanie, 46, prefers vinyls because she likes the “act of getting the record and putting the needle down,” this is because it “sounds crisper and makes you appreciate the music more.” However, Richard, 45, found “vinyls a bit annoying to use”

 

Speaking on different platforms Melanie states that she “did not like the change from CDs to MP3” as she “never really understood it”. Richard prefers CDs because, he quotes “I suppose it’s what I’m used to.” He also liked the process of “going to listening stations and asking at the till for a new album" in places such as "Andy's Records in the 90's." When asked how he would buy albums now he states “I'd go to HMV, I wouldn't try and buy it online.” 

 

Although they mainly use CDs, Richard uses Youtube Music and Melanie uses Amazon music, however, both feel “excluded because of their age” and that “it [Spotify] was never pushed towards [them].” Melanie also feels as if there is a “technological age gap” because they “didn’t grow up with streaming services and mobile phones.”

 

However, much like not every Gen Z has a streaming platform as their favourite, not every Gen X has a physical format as their preferred way of listening. Naomi, 40, prefers Spotify because "it's convenient and doesn't take up space." while also liking "CDs because of the albm cover artwork. 

 

At the end of the day, the best way to listen to music is very personal to you and varies from person to person. Every way of listening has pros and cons. However, in this small study, age does seem to slightly influence a person’s tastes, Gen Z is more accustomed to online streaming services, whereas Gen X prefers a physical copy of the music they like.