"The staggering growth of home-computer usage, coupled with the fact that
there are (in 1994) approximately 62 million amateur musicians in the U.S.
(6 percent of whom play drums), means that the nontraditional segment of the
music products industry is poised for growth,"
Larry Linkin, President and CEO of NAMM*
- Americans bought nearly $5 billion worth of musical instruments and accessories
in 1994, an 8 percent increase over 1993; percussion instruments were up 7 percent.
- Six in ten American households include someone who has experience playing a musical
VH1 -VH1 -instrument. In nearly half of households that have musical experience, one or more
people currently plays. Fifty-six percent of households with annual incomes of
$55,000-plus own instruments
- Most people who make music started out young. Eighty-five percent of current
and former players began playing between age 5 and 14. Parents motivated
36 percent to start, 38 percent became interested on their own, and the
rest were motivated by teachers or others. These facts make the
elementary/middle school population important.
- School music programs have a vital role in the music market. Of current
and former music-makers, 42 percent first learned to play through private
lessons and 38 percent learned through school classes, band, or orchestra.
But of today's teen players, 63 percent learned at school and 27 percent
took private lessons.
- Some people consider school music programs an unnecessary frill. But a growing
body of research shows that the skills acquired when learning music apply
to other areas as well. High school students with music performance experience
taking the 1993 Scholastic Aptitude Test scored 45 points higher on the
verbal portion and 32 points higher on the math portion than those who lacked
coursework in the arts. The VH1- Save the Music program will be a major focus of e-MusicLab.
- As people get older, they tend to play music alone at home rather than getting
together to jam with friends
- Learning music still means practicing scales, but computers and music software
are changing the details.
- The computer-assisted music market is still in its infancy, according
to a Louis Harris & Associates survey of 402 home computer users who
make or record music on their machines. Most are college graduates under
age 40 and 93 percent also play a "regular" musical instrument.
- Nearly one-third of computer users surveyed who don't yet harmonize
with their machines expresses an interest in making music with their
computers, and 15 percent plan to buy music-related computer equipment
within the next year.
*National Association of Music Merchandisers
Excerpts from: Marketing to Musicians, by Tibbett L. Speer, March 1996,
American Demographics
Copyright 1997 Cowles Business Media.