Music preferences have always revealed more about a listener than just their favorite tune. And with September 17th being International Country Music Day, that’s our cue to put the spotlight on this particular genre and how its fans compare to the rest.
For starters, country music currently ranks as the third most popular in the country, following behind rock and pop, respectively and just nearly edging out fans of rap and hiphop. So how are country fans different from those with other preferences? Beyond a favorite playlist, understanding what sets country music fans apart highlights real patterns and behaviors that extend into everyday life.
Generational clash: Baby Boomers are more than twice as likely as Gen Z to choose country as their favorite genre, while Gen Z are twice as likely as Baby Boomers to prefer pop. So the chance of these two generations spotting each other at a concert might be slim.
Social influence: Country music fans are more likely than rock, pop and EDM fans to say that their music tastes are influenced ‘a lot’ by social media.
TV buffs: Country music fans are more likely than rock and EDM fans to say they follow trends and current events in film and TV ‘very’ closely.
Income differences: Love of country music decreases as income level increases. Twenty-five percent of lower-income adults enjoy a little twang in their love songs, while just 14% of high-income adults say the same.
Music fans are defined by more than what’s on their playlists. Their listening habits reveal a variety of unique characteristics that go beyond what might meet the eye—proof that when it comes to music, preferences say just as much about lifestyle as they do about taste.
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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.