Observational insights into stages of music lovers

2. Music Fans

3. They can be quite different

4. BUT THERE ARE 5 COMMON categories THAT many music lovers fit into

5. THE CATEGORIES
Common Identity Trend High Aural
Grounders Seekers Surfers Fidelity Flaneurs

6. COMMON GROUNDERS

7. Common
Grounders
How do they listen?
Chronic repetition increases rather than decreases enjoyment
Exposed to, rather than seek out music
Demonstrate and Copy performance is a key part of success to this
stage (Wiggles, Macarena, PSY)

8. Common
Grounders
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Strong desire to bond over common interests. The more people that
like what you like, the better
Individual taste < Majority taste
Idolize music heroes, will dress up as their favorite stars

9. Common
Grounders
Purchase behaviors
High disposable income but music purchase is partly curated by
their parents
Music purchases heavily influenced by peers
Limited online capabilities means pirating is relatively low

10. Common
Grounders
Online behaviors
Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat/YouTube
‘Kids online games’ such as Club Penguin
Supervised browsing on shared devices

11. Common
Grounders
TYPICAL eRAS for this stage

12. IDENTITY SEEKERS

13. Identity
seekers
HOW DO THEY LISTEN?
Seeks out genres that they aren’t naturally exposed to
Obsessed by the stories behind the artists (Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis
etc.)
Quality of music is secondary to identity of the genre and emotions
tied into the music

14. Identity
seekers
Psychological context
Genre they love shapes personal identity and values
Use music escapism as a way to deal with intense psychological
developments
Music as a form of rebellion, consistent across genres (Gangster rap,
Punk, Metal)

15. Identity
seekers
Purchase behaviors
Yeeaaarrrr I be a pirate!
Whilst music purchase is low, purchase of music related items such
as posters, merchandise and other identifying items is high
All the concerts. Concert wristbands are badges of honor

16. Identity
seekers
ONLINE BEHAVIOURS
Snapchat/Instagram/Tumblr/Facebook/YouTube/Twitter
Online shrines to the genres they love (Tumblrs/Facebook cover
photos)
Online fan groups and forums

17. Identity
seekers
Typical music eras

18. TREND SURFERS

19. tREND
SURFERS
HOW DO THEY LISTEN?
Knowledge of genres > enjoyment of music
Bell curve drop off for band’s popularity within this stage
Return to radio and other media outlets for music discovery
(Pitchfork, XLR8R)

20. tREND
SURFERS
Psychological context
Insecure, music listened to as a a social personality builder
Concept of identity and self-image shifts quickly through phases
Music is valuable social currency within the peer group

21. tREND
SURFERS
Purchase behaviors
Supporting the ‘scene’ starts to become important to some so a
slight decrease in illegal downloads
Physical copies of songs (vinyl) bought as decorative merchandise
rather than listening material
Going to concerts is a lifestyle purchase rather than a passion
purchase

22. tREND
SURFERS
Online behaviors
Facebook/instagram/blogs/hypemachine/soundcloud/twitter/tumblr
Online identity curation is critically important
Digital brags in the form of first finds of songs/memes/interesting
content

23. tREND
SURFERS
TYPICAL MUSIC ERAS

24. HIGH FIDELITY

25. HIGH
FIDELITY
hOW DO THEY LISTEN?
Into one genre specifically
Equally important to be aware of the genre’s past as well as up to
date with new releases
Collecting, knowledge of artist, production and instruments used is
important. This stage is more intellectual than others

26. HIGH
FIDELITY
Psychological context
Music is a solitary experience, in this category fanatics would go to a
gig alone
Use the pressure of collecting and staying on top of the latest
releases to replace real life pressures
Music lovers in this category can be split into those who use their
intense devotion to a genre as an escape and those who
intellectualize music to a point where it helps them think about life

27. HIGH
FIDELITY
PURCHASE BEHAVIORS
They buy a lot! Respect for the genre and artist means pirating is
lower than other stages
Vinyl and the crate digging rituals that come with it is critical. Music
becomes so important that it deserves physicality, a large collection
of vinyl is a shrine to the genre.
More money spent on audio equipment for listening

28. HIGH
FIDELITY
Online behaviors
Facebook/soundcloud/youtube/blogs/podcasts/forums/genre
specific websites
Active members of genre-specific forums for new release news and
comprehensive discussions
Digital brags only relevant within the dedicated communities, so
communications within echo chambers such as private groups on
facebook are common

29. HIGH
FIDELITY
Typical music eras

30. AURAL FLANEUR

31. AURAL
FLANEUR
How do they listen?
Pure enjoyment music used for happiness, pleasure and nostalgia
Exposed to music from a variety of genres and eras. Not too
concerned with the relevancy of the source of exposure and loyalty
to artists is low.
Use music to aid their situations rather than escape from them, i.e
work playlists and playlists for entertaining

32. AURAL
FLANEUR
Psychological context
Stressed with work and family
Comfortable with identity, not easily influenced
Happy to dip into cultural experiences but won’t adopt them as part
of their personality as much as younger stages

33. AURAL
FLANEUR
Purchase behaviors
High income and relatively low digital knowledge means purchase is
high
Itunes is a convenient way for them to purchase the music they love,
Spotify is also popular
Happy to purchase albums before listening to the songs

34. AURAL
FLANEUR
ONLINE behaviors
Facebook/YouTube/Major Web/Spotify/Pandora
Streaming podcasts from major media sources
As easily influenced by online album reviews as friend
recommendations

35. AURAL
FLANEUR
Typical music eras

36. AURAL, BEHAVIOURAL AND CULTURAL PROGRESSION

37. aS WE GET OLDER OUR TASTE IN MUSIC CHANGES
ALONG WITH OUR BEHAVIORS AROUND MUSIC.
Common Identity Trend High Aural
Grounders Seekers Surfers Fidelity Flaneurs
lET’S LOOK AT SOME PROGRESSIONS THROUGHOUT the
categories

38. hOW THEY LISTEN
Common Identity Trend High Aural
Grounders Seekers Surfers Fidelity Flaneurs
Exposed to Seek music Only listen to Only exposed Exposed to
music (pop) they aren’t music that to music music (wide
exposed to they are within a variety)
exposed to specific genre
from relevant
sources

39. Psychological context
Common Identity Trend High Aural
Grounders Seekers Surfers Fidelity Flaneurs
Use music to Use music to Use music to Identify with Use music for
bond with the create build identity music emotional
majority identity within value pleasure
a minority

40. Purchase behaviors
Common Identity Trend High Aural
Grounders Seekers Surfers Fidelity Flaneurs
Purchase Purchase Purchase Purchase Purchase
influenced by influenced by deterred by influenced by influenced by
majority minority majority genre desires enjoyment
influence

41. Online behaviors
Common Identity Trend High Aural
Grounders Seekers Surfers Fidelity Flaneurs
Supervised Digital identity Online Browsing Digital
browsing search curation within digital tourism
echo
chambers

42. THANK YOU
Michael goldstein, strategist at Mry nyc.
@Mickeyg77
Email me questions and thoughts – Michaeldgoldstein77@gmail.com