Music access patterns: A social interpretation

•We analyze how music access patterns are socially structured.•We offer a theoretical framework and supporting evidence.•Music access patterns, motivations and behaviours are structured by lifecycle (age) and social position (education).•We suggest that an individualistic framework is insufficient to understand patterns of music access.

The substitution of purchased music by downloaded music has been much researched using individualistic psychological or economic frameworks. However, such research designs rarely take into account the social dimension of music taste and access to music, with social science research only recently addressing the way individuals access information and cultural expressions. Our research develops and tests a theoretical model of access to music that is based on the life stage and social position of individuals (as reflected by their age and education), and explains why music access patterns, motivations, and listening behaviours are structured by both these factors.