Young people need more musical opportunities, research finds

Music is an integral part of the lives of children and young people, but many feel they do not have enough access to it, research by Youth Music has found.

The music charity’s new report, The Sound of the Next Generation, surveyed 2,100 children and young people to understand their relationship to music.

Despite the research finding that making and listening to music tops the list of activities that Gen Z (born 1995 to 2009) and Gen Alpha (born 2010 onwards) do in their spare time, the number of young people considering themselves as musical is falling.

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Just over half (55%) of respondents said they consider themselves musical, 9% less than Youth Music’s last equivalent survey from 2018.

The finding is presented alongside a drop in music provision in schools. Fewer than one in five (19%) respondents have individual music lessons in school, down from 33% in 2018. Group lessons are now more common, but those who play instruments in groups fell from 48% to 39% compared with 2018.

Meanwhile, parental confidence in school music education is also low, with just 11% of those with children under five saying they think their children will get enough musical education at school.

These results contrast starkly with how important children and young people say music is in their lives. Over two thirds surveyed (68%) said they couldn’t live without music, while 71% said music is a big part of who they are.

Although the number of children playing a classical instrument is falling, the numbers playing the keyboard, guitar and drums are all on the rise. And10% of respondents say they make music on a computer or other device.

More than half of the young people surveyed (59%) said they want more music in their lives. The biggest barriers were found to be access and cost for six-17 year-olds and time and ability among 18-25 year olds. 

“Young people want – and need – more music in their lives,” the report’s introduction says. “As a society, we need to create a fairer, forward-looking and thriving music sector that powers economic and social development. It’s our collective responsibility to make this happen.”

Recommendations

Youth Music's report outlines three recommendations to improve access and opportunities in music for young people.

The first, which calls on the UK government to invest in a long-term music strategy for growth that includes grassroots youth and community music, says the current mismatch in how the industry is funded must be addressed to create a diverse talent pipeline. It adds the strategy should build on the government’s National Plan for Music Education.

Secondly, it recommends that education providers and policymakers must re-imagine the music curriculum to improve access, relevance and progression. It says music and creativity must be reprioritised in schools, and adds that career advice must be developed and skills shortages addressed to be relevant to current and future industry jobs.

“As the opportunity to access music both in and out of school is squeezed, we urgently need investment in our national music infrastructure that includes grassroots provision, an inclusive curriculum and a focus on work-based skills to ensure that the next generation can thrive and grow,” Youth Music Co-Chair Charlotte Edgeworth said.

Thirdly, the report says industry must prioritise inclusion and safeguarding cultures by tackling discrimination, protecting young people taking steps into the music industry, holding funded organisations accountable and improving awareness of whistleblowing procedures.

“This report shows that life is tough for young people, but music is a powerful tool,” said Youth Music Co-Chair Guvna B. “In a world where listening to music tops the list of activities that young people today turn to, it is vital that it’s available to everyone – not just the listening part, but making it and learning about it too.”