If you wish we’d shut up and play some Skynyrd, you’re not alone. 84% of Americans say listening to music is an important part of their day. (Would you prefer it if I SANG the news?)
A new poll asked a bunch of questions about how we listen, and what we think about OTHER people’s taste in music. Here are a few quick stats:
1. How often do you listen to music? 55% said an hour a day at least. 2% said never.
2. How do you listen to it? The most popular choices in 2026 are streaming and listening to the RADIO. There’s a steep drop-off after that with things like CDs and cassettes. (73% stream, 48% listen to music on the radio on a regular basis, 24% download MP3s, 24% still use CDs, 11% listen to records, and 4% use cassettes.)
3. What’s your favorite type of music? Classic rock ranked first with 19% of the vote. Then country, 11%, pop, 9%, hip-hop, 8%, metal, 7%, R&B, 7%, and alternative, 6% of the vote.
(They had to choose from 20 different types, so percentages are low: Classical, 5%, Christian, 4%, jazz, 4%, gospel, blues, and folk, 3% each, and new-age ranked last. That’s stuff like Yanni and Enya.)
4. Which genre do you think best REPRESENTS America in 2026? Country and hip-hop tied for first. Then it’s pop, classic rock, and R&B.
5. The Grammys are February 1st: Do you think they actually pinpoint the “best” music of the year? Only 14% said yes. 51% said no, and 35% aren’t sure.
6. A.I. music: 20% of us have listened to at least one A.I. song now, and, we’re not impressed so far. Only 3% think it’s better than what humans can crank out. 38% think it might get there in the next decade though.
7. How often do you go out and see live music? 21% said at least once a month. Another 23% said at least one concert per year.
(YouGov)
