Finnish music streaming hits record highs: Over 3.5 hours daily

By admin On Jun 29, 2024

A recent study by Polaris Nordic reveals that Finns are now streaming music for an average of 3.5 hours daily, a 30% increase over the past two years. This surge is part of a broader trend across the Nordic countries, as highlighted in the “Digital Music in the Nordics 2024” report by Teosto, TONO, and Koda. In Finland, 95% of people aged 12-65 now use music streaming services, up from 91% in 2022.

The rise in streaming is mirrored across other Nordic countries. Notably, Denmark saw a significant jump from 88% to 94% in streaming service usage over two years. While Finnish listeners average 3.5 hours of daily streaming, Swedes top the chart at 4 hours per day, with Danes at the lower end at 3.1 hours.

Interestingly, while 55% of Nordic listeners prefer paid versions of streaming services, only 41% of Finns opt for premium subscriptions. This is an increase from 35% in 2022 but still the lowest in the Nordics, where Norway leads with 63% preferring paid services.

Markus Kaarto, Licensing Director at Teosto, comments, “Premium streaming services offer a high-quality music experience and significantly better compensation for creators. It’s encouraging to see more Finns investing in music quality and supporting artists.”

In Finland, YouTube and Spotify are the most popular platforms, with 78% and 60% of users, respectively. This trend is similar in Denmark, whereas in Sweden and Norway, Spotify slightly edges out YouTube. Despite a 3% decline in YouTube usage, Spotify’s popularity has grown by 4% across the Nordics.

Among Spotify users in Finland, 59% use the premium version, the lowest in the region, compared to 71% in Sweden. The average daily listening time on Spotify’s paid version in the Nordics is now 2.1 hours, up from 1.7 hours in 2022, accounting for 34% of all streaming time.

The study also highlights Finnish attitudes toward AI in music. Finns are the most supportive in the Nordics of ethical AI development, with three-quarters believing AI companies should seek permission from artists before using their work for training. Additionally, 63% think streaming services should disclose if a song is AI-generated.

As the digital music landscape evolves, Finns continue to adapt, increasingly embracing streaming while advocating for the rights of human creators in an AI-driven world.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi