Israeli Researchers Report Decline in Music Listening Enthusiasm on Streaming Services

Israeli researchers have discovered a correlation between music collection and the pleasure derived from listening, shedding light on the influence of streaming platforms on individuals’ perception and enjoyment of music.

The research, led by Bar-Ilan University professor Ofer Bergman, was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Personal and Ubiquitous Computing.

“Our research highlights the important role of the music collection in shaping the subjective music consumption experience. By actively participating in collecting on streaming platforms, users can increase their level of enjoyment and potentially rekindle their passion for music,” said Bergman.

For decades, music lovers collected vinyl records, eight-track tapes and audio cassettes, or downloaded songs to MP3 players, forming personal collections that reflected their individual tastes.

But the move to streaming music platforms like Spotify, Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music has fundamentally changed the way people collect music. Listeners now have unprecedented access to huge song libraries without additional costs and algorithmic recommendations.

Streaming services are certainly convenient. But the effect of streaming on the listener’s passions remained unexplored until now.

In the first study of the series, Bergman and his researchers conducted qualitative interviews that revealed participants’ decreased excitement in the current music landscape. The sheer abundance of music available at little or no cost was found to dilute the subjective value of the music and leave some listeners feeling disconnected.

In the second part of the research, questionnaire surveys considered the impact of streaming applications on music collection habits. As expected, the researchers found a clear decrease in the size of personal music collections as people switched to streaming. But in the midst of this change, Bergman’s team found a direct correlation between the size of a person’s music collection and their level of listening pleasure.

To investigate the psychological basis behind this paradox, the researchers launched a third study. In a controlled experiment, participants were asked to rate their music enjoyment in real time using a chat-bot user interface both before and after active music collection.

Participants reported that collecting music was not only enjoyable, but also had a positive effect on their engagement with music.

The researchers say their findings open new avenues for streaming app developers and music listeners to find a balance between technology and personal curation.