Youth Music explores children and young people’s relationship with music

Music charity Youth Music have launched The Sound of the Next Generation: a comprehensive review of children and young people’s relationship with music. Here at aStepFWD we were excited to see the research, as along with championing emerging and grassroots talent alongside established artists, we have a passion for the next generation of creatives who will chart the future.

The Youth Music research shows that music is young people’s favourite hobby, equal to gaming and ahead of sport, drama, and dance. Two-thirds of young people reported that they’d made music in the last week, and we also found that music plays a huge role in young people’s wellbeing.

The report has already generated some great conversation online and exciting coverage including top music story in The Guardian.

According to The Guardian breakdown, the study by the music charity Youth Music, in tandem with Ipsos Mori, polled more than 1,000 British children aged seven to 17 about their music habits. Unsurprisingly, 97% of them had listened to music in the previous week – but 67% had also engaged in “some form of music-making activity”. It’s a huge rise from 39% in 2006, when Youth Music conducted their previous survey.

Among those who said they made music, singing was the most popular means, with 44% saying they did so compared with 17% in 2006. Thirty per cent of surveyed children played an instrument – 39% of whom are somewhat self-taught – with the piano proving most popular. Eleven per cent made music on a computer – rising to one in five young men – while fewer than 10% rapped or DJ’d.

The research offers ground-breaking insights into the diverse ways young people engage with and value music and music-making, bringing to light the positive and meaningful impact music has for them. READ THE FULL REPORT

Let us know how you are engaging/facilitating music for the young people in your community, church or organisation and get in touch with Youth Music for more information on how you can do more.

O’Neil Dennis

Chief Editor for aStepFWD and Founder of the UK Christian Chart. O’Neil or Dennis (he answers to both) is a true creative for whom “only the best is good enough”.

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