A newly released YouGov study claims that the number of UK residents illegally downloading music has fallen dramatically in the last five years.
The report has revealed that streaming may be responsible for gradually reducing rates of music piracy by offering more affordable and accessible means of music consumption.
Around one in ten of the people surveyed in the YouGov study said they illegally download music, a drop of 18 percent since 2013.
Twenty-two percent of those who admitted to pirating music also claimed they would stop illegally downloading music within the next five years.
Those surveyed said the rise of streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify had stopped them from illegally downloading music by offering fair pricing, and often providing a free streaming option.
Thirty-six percent of the people surveyed who pirate music say torrenting sites are becoming increasingly difficult to use, helping to further explain the shift in consumer habits.
In a press release, YouGov’s associate director Justin Marshall said: ‘While illegal downloads still present a significant challenge to the music industry, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Our research reveals a change in behaviour, with those that previously attained music by unlawful means now being enticed by the low costs and ease of use associated with streaming.
‘Simply put, many don’t feel they need to go to the same lengths to acquire the music they want, now they have it at their fingertips. Whether or not streaming is what finally banishes illegal downloads remains to be seen, but there are encouraging signs.’
But despite this revelation from YouGov, a recent study published by global piracy authority MUSO revealed the exact opposite in consumer trends, stating that music piracy had grown at a dramatic rate.
MUSO found that visits to piracy websites for the purpose of downloading music had increased to 73.9 billion in 2017, a 14 percent rise from 2016.
The three most prevalent countries visiting online piracy sites were shown to be the United States, India and Brazil, with the UK coming in at tenth with nine billion visits.
The study also found that mobile devices heavily outweighed the use of desktop computers for accessing piracy sites, with 87.13 percent of visits happening through mobile devices.
PRS for Music conducted a panel discussing music piracy earlier in the year that revealed Cryptocurrency is providing a lucrative stream of revenue for online music pirates.
Photo: Luca Bravo
The report has revealed that streaming may be responsible for gradually reducing rates of music piracy by offering more affordable and accessible means of music consumption.
Around one in ten of the people surveyed in the YouGov study said they illegally download music, a drop of 18 percent since 2013.
Twenty-two percent of those who admitted to pirating music also claimed they would stop illegally downloading music within the next five years.
Those surveyed said the rise of streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify had stopped them from illegally downloading music by offering fair pricing, and often providing a free streaming option.
Thirty-six percent of the people surveyed who pirate music say torrenting sites are becoming increasingly difficult to use, helping to further explain the shift in consumer habits.
In a press release, YouGov’s associate director Justin Marshall said: ‘While illegal downloads still present a significant challenge to the music industry, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Our research reveals a change in behaviour, with those that previously attained music by unlawful means now being enticed by the low costs and ease of use associated with streaming.
‘Simply put, many don’t feel they need to go to the same lengths to acquire the music they want, now they have it at their fingertips. Whether or not streaming is what finally banishes illegal downloads remains to be seen, but there are encouraging signs.’
But despite this revelation from YouGov, a recent study published by global piracy authority MUSO revealed the exact opposite in consumer trends, stating that music piracy had grown at a dramatic rate.
MUSO found that visits to piracy websites for the purpose of downloading music had increased to 73.9 billion in 2017, a 14 percent rise from 2016.
The three most prevalent countries visiting online piracy sites were shown to be the United States, India and Brazil, with the UK coming in at tenth with nine billion visits.
The study also found that mobile devices heavily outweighed the use of desktop computers for accessing piracy sites, with 87.13 percent of visits happening through mobile devices.
PRS for Music conducted a panel discussing music piracy earlier in the year that revealed Cryptocurrency is providing a lucrative stream of revenue for online music pirates.
Photo: Luca Bravo
