12,847 people from 72 countries

This is what music
means to the world.

Every number below came from a real person answering a real question about their relationship with music.

84%
have a deep connection to music
68%
were shaped by other people
78%
say music got them through the hardest moments
Based on 12,847 responses · Last updated: April 15, 2026 at 14:30 UTC

Who are you with music?

We asked people to describe their relationship with music in one word.

84%
Deep
Music is part of who they are
13%
Casual
Enjoy it, but it doesn't define them
3%
Disconnected
Music isn't really for them
🎧 My escape32%
💡 My inspiration22%
🤝 My companion18%
🎭 My ritual15%
🌊 My background10%
🔇 Not for me3%

Where does music live?

The moments in life where music mattered most.

Getting through hard times78%
Road trips & travel72%
First love / heartbreak67%
Working out / sports61%
Childhood memories58%
Celebrations & parties54%
78%
say music got them through the hardest moments of their life
4.2
moments per person on average
47%
selected 5 or more moments
14%
chose 0-1 moments

What shapes your taste?

How people discover and form their relationship with music.

Social vs. Self-Discovered

32% self-discovered
Friends74%
Parents / family61%
Algorithms / playlists52%
Radio44%
Partner38%
Social media31%
38%
say their partner shaped their music taste

What the world listens to

The top genres and how mainstream or niche the world really is.

Pop · 62% Rock · 54% Hip-Hop · 41% Electronic · 37% R&B · 33% Jazz · 28% Classical · 24% Latin · 22% Metal · 18% Country · 12%
34%
Mainstream only
Only top-5 genres
52%
Mainstream + Niche
Best of both worlds
14%
Niche explorer
Zero mainstream genres

The Music DNA of humanity

Combining identity, emotion, taste, and influence into a single picture.

Tier 1 · Core
Deep + emotional + social + active
38%
Tier 2 · Warm
Mixed signals, engaged but varied
44%
Tier 3 · Cool
Casual, few moments, solo discovery
18%
97%
of all participants say music matters to them in some way

The one number that defines it all:

68%

of all music lovers were shaped by other people.

Music is not just personal. It's social. It always has been.

Want to know
your Music DNA?

8–12 minutes. Completely anonymous. No account needed.