Music Streaming Surges With Paid Subscriptions Leading the Way

Australian music subscription services have increased by 13% in just over a year - one of the biggest yearly increases on record.

According to research from the Telsyte Australian Subscription Entertainment Study 2021, paid music services are up to 32% usage in overall subscription entertainment users since June of last year. The rise is second only to streaming video on demand (SVOD), which has gone up to a total of 45% in that same time, giving an insight into the impacts of COVID-19 on people's consumption habits.

Consequently, subscription television services has seen a drop of 6% overall, owing to the adaptability and fast-growing abilities of internet streaming services.

Unsurprisingly, the big hitters in music streaming are at the forefront of the boom, with Spotify, Google and Apple holding the top three positions. Inclusive within the Google umbrella is Youtube Music's premium service, whose multi-media offerings of film, television and music has made it one of the fastest growing subscription services around.

The study also attributes this streaming bump to the rise in podcasting, both from established creators and those with a pre-existing media presence. According to the research, around a quarter of music service subscribers do so with the intent of listening to "celebrity" podcasts and broadcasts.

Research also noted that paid subscriptions are on the up and now surpass half of all overall users. This is compared to around 42% last year.

The constant influx of new media may also be at the helm of the increase. Music services have seen just about the only consistent updating of new content, whereas new media in SVOD and subscription television have dropped dramatically as a result of the pandemic.

To read the full breakdown, head to the Telsyte report page here.