85.7% of British people say music is vital to maintaining mental health, new survey reveals

FREE NOW has shared a new report conducted in the UK about the relationship people have with music and the impact it has on their lives, and according to the survey, 85.7% of people that took part think music is an important factor for maintaining their mental health day to day.

Of those that took part in the survey, only 2% listen to music less than once a week, while 65.2% stated that they listen to music every day. The report also reveals that 83.6% of people listen to music more than they watch films, and 57.8% listen to music more than they socialise with friends/family. 61.9% of those that took part stated they listen to music more than they exercise, while 74.1% said music is vital to their exercise regime. In response to the numbers, the report claims that music is "the most popular form of entertainment in the country."

When asked about how they discover new music, 60.1% of those that took part listed streaming services as their go-to discovery tool. 55.1% chose radio, and social media was chosen by 44.9% of people. The report claims 36.7% of people said they discover new music in person.

66.8% of people who took part in the report said it's vital for independent music venues to be supported, and 33.6% of people who have attended shows at independent venues said those venues no longer exist.

London topped the list of UK cities with the best music scene, was voted the city with the best music scene, followed by Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow.

Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd said of the report, "The results of this survey demonstrate once again how important music is in our communities and to people at a very personal level. Two-thirds of people stated that their local grassroots music venue was vital to their town or city, a view that was echoed in the very practical ways that the music community got behind venues during the pandemic and took direct action to ensure they would not be permanently closed by the Covid crisis. The grassroots music sector is facing incredibly tough times with the energy crisis and the cost of living challenges compounding the impacts of the pandemic. This survey demonstrates again how important these venues are and how much it matters to people, and it's great to see companies like FREE NOW recognising that value with direct action campaigns bringing more music opportunities to more people."