Classical music ‘becoming more popular among young people’

The popularity of classical music among young listeners is rising, research suggests.

Record label association BPI, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and streaming service Deezer found that the proportion of classical music streams by the under-35s has increased.

The research, which used official streaming data, found 37% of global classical music streams on Deezer within the last 12 months were by under-35s – a 17% increase on last year.

A statement from the organisations said classical music experienced a boom among younger listeners during lockdown.

Between February and April, global plays of classical music by 18 to 25-year-olds on Deezer grew by 11%.

Mozart was the most popular classical composer on the platform, followed by Bach.

Composer Alexandre Desplat said: “It’s heartening that the appeal of classical music is clearly expanding and connecting with a broader and younger audience.

“The ease of discovery and connectivity through streaming must be playing its part, but so too is the global reach and power of film soundtracks, which draw much inspiration from classical composition.”

Fellow composer Max Richter said: “It is wonderful that new audiences are coming to classical music during this time of anxiety.

“Streaming offers listeners the chance simply to follow their enthusiasms through the musical universe without any boundaries, and I’m really happy to hear that many people are turning to classical music for the first time.

“As well as being a historical art form, classical music is also part of what is happening now and it is great to see more people embracing it.”