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Music listening has the power to be a very personal and communal experience. Reasons why someone might choose to listen to music can also vary widely. Part two of the Women’s Audio Report from Edison Research and SiriusXM Media explores all the reasons why U.S. women 18+ engage with music. The release of this report times perfectly with Mother’s Day approaching and provides a unique opportunity to not only understand how women engage with music, but also how women with children choose to listen to music.
The top two reasons women choose to listen to music are “to be entertained” and “to relax”. However, slight differences emerge when we look at women who have children under 17 (“Moms”) and those who don’t. While moms choose “to relax” as their top reason for listening to music (50%), the top reason among women without children under 17 is “to be entertained” at 51%.
Another area where women with and without children under 17 differ is in turning to music as a coping mechanism. Over one-third (39%) of moms 18+ select “to cope during a difficult time” as a main reason they listen to music, which is noticeably higher than the 28% of women who don’t have children. We’re not here to say that moms are more likely to experience difficult times or life events; what this data does illuminate is that, unlike other groups, music seems to be a unique coping mechanism for moms during these times. Tuning into their favorite radio station, Spotify playlist, or YouTube music video is a small act that might provide a sense of calm or boost their mood.
The above graph and findings are just a snapshot of some of the interesting data and insights covered in part two of the Women’s Audio Report from Edison Research and SiriusXM Media. Download part one and part two of the Women’s Audio Report from Edison Research and SiriusXM Media.
