Music or Hi-tech Lovers? Inferring into the Determinants of Music Consumption

Using survey data on cultural consumption by about 650 university students, this article proposes a market segmentation and some "rule-of-thumb" managerial implications for the music industry. The aim is to show how technological innovation impacts on the structure of consumer preferences. Consumption behaviours, listening habits and musical preferences are explained by a large number of variables. Nevertheless it is possible to reduce this overload of information into two common factors (using "factor analysis"). "Cluster analysis" is accordingly used to group the students-consumers. The findings are then deepened in light of an econometric analysis. The analysis shows that the new digital technologies (for example "file sharing") may be harmful for the music industry only within one specific group of consumers. New technologies can instead promote music consumption (especially of live music) by the other categories of consumers. By investing in music knowledge and enjoyment, it is possible to induce consumers to buy digital music legally from authorized sites.