U.K. Study: Paid Streaming Close To Overtaking Free Streaming

Pay The Men

A study conducted by the U.K.-based ENTERTAINMENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION (ERA) found that subscription streaming usage is trending towards overtaking free services for the first time. The data comes from ERA’s quarterly entertainment survey that polled a panel of 1,500 people on how they consume music video and games.

Currently, more people stream for free (21.5%) rather than pay (20.6%), but study notes that current trends indicate that paid-for services could overtake later this year. More males already pay to stream (24.3%) rather than stream for free (23.9%), and more 25-34 year-olds also choose paid-for (34.9%) than free (27.9%). By a narrower margin, the same is now also true for 35-44s and 45-54s. Apparently, the next battleground for subscription streaming is attracting more female and older music fans.

“Ten or 15 years ago popular opinion had it that it was all over for the music business and people would no longer pay for music," ERA CEO KIM BAYLEY said. "These figures are a striking vindication of the innovation and investment of digital services. What is all the more remarkable is that the likes of Spotify and YouTube also offer fantastic free services, funded by advertising. These figures suggest that music fans increasingly believe that the added features offered by paid-for services, and the curation which enables them to navigate literally millions of tracks, are definitely worth the money.

“Streaming has made it fashionable to pay for music again ... [and] paid-for streaming has clearly yet to reach its full potential.” 

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