Listening Habits Trend Towards Local, New Research Reveals 

If music is the universal language, then its dialects are becoming increasingly localized, according to a new study. The paper analyzes the concept of ‘glocalisation’ within the music industry, an apparent trend where streaming platforms are seeing a surge in the popularity of homegrown talent. 

In 2012, only one out of the top ten songs in Poland was Polish. Fast forward to 2022, and the figure dramatically rose to eight. But the glocalisation effect isn’t limited to Poland and stretches over various European markets. 

Last year, British artists dominated the end-of-year charts, a feat unseen in over five decades. Similar trends also occured in Germany, Italy, and Spain, where local artists dominated the top charts. 

The 2022 musical landscape was bare in the Netherlands, with a noticeable scarcity of hip-hop album releases from homegrown talents. 

Meanwhile, the trending pattern in Spain was not exclusively linked to homegrown talent but to artists across the Spanish-speaking spectrum, including Latin American music stars. 

According to the academic paper, the ubiquity of music streaming platforms influences consumers to access a global selection. Despite the international nature of these platforms, there is a trend toward favoring domestic artists. 

“The marketplace is evolving, power is shifting from global labels and streaming platforms to their local offices,” the report explained. 

Music glocalisation creates a flywheel effect as local artists gain more success, and global labels invest more in them, driving more consumer demand.