UK Youth Music Survey Reveals Role of Music in Young People's Lives

Fewer young people describe themselves as "musical," and traditional music lessons are in decline — but young people are also making and listening to music in new ways

Youth Music and Ipsos Mori have published a new report, titled "The Sound of the Next Generation: A Comprehensive Review of Children and Young People's Relationship with Music." The report surveyed 2,100 young people about their engagement with music, both as listeners and practitioners.

The findings show that music is an integral part of the lives of many young people: making and listening to music is at the top of the list of activities that Gen Z and Gen Alpha do in their spare time — which means it's more frequent than sport, social media, gaming, and other social, cultural and creative activities.

However, young people are less likely to describe themselves as "musical" than in previous surveys — just 55% of young people say they are musical, which is a drop of 9% since 2018.

The way young people make music is also changing, with singing and traditional music lessons in decline. Less than a quarter of young people now play a classical instrument, while the learning of keyboard, guitar, and drums in modern style is on the rise. 11% of young people are also making music on a computer or other device.

School music lessons have also suffered, with many fewer children receiving 1:1 tuition. Most are now taught in group settings.

"As the opportunity to access music both in and out of school is squeezed, we urgently need investment in our national music infrastructure that includes grassroots provision, an inclusive curriculum and a focus on work-based skills to ensure that the next generation can thrive and grow," said Charlotte Edgeworth, Co-Chair of Youth Music.

"This report shows that life is tough for young people, but music is a powerful tool," added Co-Chair Guvna B. "In a world where listening to music tops the list of activities that young people today turn to, it is vital that it’s available to everyone – not just the listening part, but making it and learning about it too."