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Is Economic Uncertainty Changing what People want to Listen to?

By Peter Don, BPR

As we head towards 2026, one thing is becoming very clear across every market: listeners are stressed. Higher living costs, shaky confidence about the future, and general “life fatigue” are creating a kind of low-level emotional turbulence for a lot of people.

And when emotions shift, music behaviour shifts too.

This isn’t a small change. It’s now one of the strongest forces shaping playlists, radio performance, and what people actually choose to listen to when they want to feel better.

 

The Reaction We’re Seeing

Economic pressure → Emotional insecurity → Music as emotional regulation

When people feel uncertain, they become More anxious, Less tolerant of “emotional noise”,  More predictable in their entertainment choices, and more drawn to comfort, familiarity, and positivity

As a result, music stops being “just songs” — and becomes a tool for managing mood, energy, and stability.

 

Behaviours That Influence current choices

1) Nostalgia Seeking (The Biggest by Far)

Listeners — especially 35–54s and 40–59s — are returning to songs they know and trust, including:

• 80s
• 90s
• 2000s
• early 2010s

 

Why is that? Nostalgia isn’t just about reminiscing — it becomes part of a coping strategy. Familiar songs, lower emotional load, provide a sense of control, and create continuity in a world that feels less stable.

Streaming service ‘catalogue’ music now makes up more than 70% of all listening.

 

2) Escapism Among Under-35s

Younger listeners don’t necessarily reach back. They are choosing: dance-pop, rhythmic pop, ‘festival’ energy, feel-good electronic, K-pop, and pop-rock revival.

Music is part of an ‘escape hatch’: providing a quick emotional lift, colour, movement, and optimism.

 

3) Meaning & Authenticity (A Parallel Trend)

For Millennials and early Gen Z, there’s also a need for something real: real instruments, honest lyrics, raw storytelling, vulnerability

Examples include Olivia Rodrigo, Lewis Capaldi, Hozier and Tate McRae. Artists like these continue to resonate.

 

Different Ages have Different Needs:

 Younger Adults (15–34)

In general, younger Adults are; More emotionally reactive, hit harder by financial instability, prefer music that’s energetic and identity-driven, and their nostalgia is “borrowed” — 90s/2000s vibes without lived memory

Adults (35–59)

Listeners in this age group are; More emotionally stable but more nostalgia-sensitive, looking for familiar, feel-good, melodic content, and more loyal when they find a station that “gets” their mood.

 

Are ‘Emotional Need’ becoming more important than demographics?

Emotional needs can be defined by:

1. Comfort (Nostalgia)

The biggest group — and the most stable. Relevant for: AC, Classic Hits, Adult Pop.

2. Escape (Energy)

Tempo and colour matter. Relevant for: CHR, Hot AC, youth streaming audiences.

3. Meaning (Authenticity)

Not about age — about psychographics. Relevant for: CHR, especially recurrents, Alternative music formats and some, Hot AC hybrids.

 

What This Means for the Music Industry and Radio.

Streaming

• ‘Catalogue’ music use keeps growing
• Mood-first playlists outperform genres
• Nostalgic production styles show up in new releases

 

Radio

• Formats built on emotional need states outperform era-purist formats
• Familiarity outguns “brand-new”
• Adult Pop and Classic Hits continue to gain momentum

 

Music Promotion

• More melodic, brighter, emotionally open pop
• Less appetite for risk, darkness or experimentation

 

Audience Segmentation

Traditional demographics alone won’t cut it. Understanding mood, stress levels, optimism, and emotional stability is becoming essential to programming.

Overall

2026 is likely to be less about ongoing music trends — it’s also about emotional economics. Listeners choose music because of what the music does for them.

Radio can provide a mix of  Comfort. Energy. Meaning.

Radio Stations that also connect with the emotional needs of listeners in their music choices will connect better with their listeners.

 

Sources & Further Reading

*Spotify – end of year charts 2025

Luminate – Year-End Music Report (2023–2024);Deloitte – Global Consumer Tracker (2024);
Spotify – Culture Next (2023–2024) & Fan Study (2022–2024);YouGov – Mood & Media Report (2023);FPI – Engaging With Music (2023–2024);Nielsen Audio – The Role of Audio in Emotional Wellbeing (2023);BBC R&D – Music & Emotional Regulation (2022–2023);Jacobs Media – TechSurvey (2022–2024);Radiocentre UK – The Emotional Multiplier Effect of Radio (2023);OECD – Consumer Confidence Outlook (2024);McKinsey – Global Consumer Pulse Survey (2023–2024);MIDiA – The Playlist Economy (2024);Apple Music – Trends Report (2024).