Now, although most of us think we have a particularly refined musical ear, a knack for creating a well curated playlist even – but the Spotify data don’t lie. Spotify knows our guiltiest pleasures, the late night Britney Spears or Yellowcard nostalgia twinged sessions or soft spot for Panic! At The Disco. With the Spotify premium student membership launching today at a measly $5.99 a month, the gang at everyone’s streaming service du jour have unleashed our embarrassing listening habits for the world to laugh at. Just joking, I’m proud of my affliction for the Rap Caviar playlist and so should you be too.
Across 33 countries around the world, students are the biggest music fans on Spotify, students listen procrastinate to about 70% more hours of music per week than average users. Which isn’t surprising given those early morning lectures readily missed and days on end studying in the library. And while you may fool your parents, your lecturers and even yourself into thinking you’re “studying” – Spotify knows better.
Students in fact are spending less time studying than they do chilling, working out or partying – according to which “moments” playlists they’re jumping into. But, interestingly they are studying more than they are romancing or gaming. 35% of students listen to Chill, 20% are into their Workout, 16% are all about the Party and lagging behind all those pursuits is 14% attempting to Study/Focus. 5pm Saturday is the sweet spot for students tuning in, which speaks more to our pre game routines than studying rituals.
With only 7% into Sex/Romance soundtracks, 3% feeling the wind in their hair as they run and a lowly 1% tuning into Gaming playlists. Which to us says that either that most young bachelors have a sexy time playlist of their own creation or aren’t putting enough effort into wowing your Tinder date. Nor do we run anywhere near as much as we should (except from our responsibilities).
And while we like to think we’re a knowledgable bunch of Triple J listening music afficiandos, Spotify knows just how mainstream 18-21 year old Aussie students really are. With the top streamed artists for students in Australia being a not so hipster but no less happening bunch.
#1 Drake
#2 Ed Sheeran
#3 The Chainsmokers
#4 The Weeknd
#5 Kanye West
#6 Flume
#7 Rihanna
#8 Eminem
#9 Ariana Grande
#10 Twenty One Pilots
While the top streamed tracks for students across the country looked not so dissimilar – with a healthy serving of Flume and Drake of course. Not so much study tracks, rather the perfect aural accompaniment to procrastination.
#1 “One Dance” – Drake
#2 “Closer” – The Chainsmokers
#3 “Cold Water” – Major Lazer (feat. Justin Bieber & MØ)
#4 “Say It” – Flume
#5 “Starboy” – The Weeknd
#6 “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers
#7 “Let Me Love You” – DJ Snake
#8 “Too Good” – Drake
#9 “This Is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris
#10 “Never Be Like You” – Flume
While genre wise, this is when things get really ~interesting~. There’s the mainstays of pop, rap and what not but then if you delve into the second half of the most streamed genres that you find some real insight. Trap and it’s sub-genres are right up there in the mix, along with good old Gangster Rap.
#1 Pop
#2 Dance Pop
#3 Pop Rap
#4 Rap
#5 Southern Hip Hop
#6 Hip Hop
#7 Trap Music
#8 Dwn Trap
#9 Post-Teen Pop
#10 Gangster Rap
Free your ears of ads and put that student discount to good use. That HECS debt is finally good for something!
Image source: Life Without Andy.