Valentine’s Day is firstly known as a day to show those you care about how much you love them, typically in the cheesiest and chocolatiest ways possible. However, the vibe lately has been highlighting a need to turn that care inward. A major sign of how the general public is feeling this romantic season is seen clearly through our Music Connect Weekly Consumption Chart, which tracks total activity across US streaming and digital sales, and shows the top 5 songs in the week ending 2/2/23 to be.
All 5 of the top songs have an anti-romance feel, and at the #1 spot, “Flowers” by Miley, preaches how if you can take care of yourself better than your partner takes care of you, you should kick ‘em to the curb!
In that spirit, we are dedicating this Valentine’s Day to those who will be practicing a whole lotta self love this Tuesday. One of the best and most common ways to kick off the day is by blasting some music. According to our U.S. Music 360 Study, 24% of the general population likes to listen to music to get into their *sad* feels, but 67% of people say that they listen to music so that they can feel happy! Additionally, 66% of music listeners cite that they listen to music to help them overcome personal or emotional challenges. So make or find that perfect playlist and get ready to jam out, because there is no better way to start or end your day than with some of your favorite music.
Another trend we’re seeing is that Sam Smith’s songs connect with the heart. While it is no surprise that they elicit a major emotional response with their music through beautiful ballads and provocative lyrics, we noticed a spike in Sam Smith’s listenership around Valentine’s Day. Their song “Lay Me Down” was released in 2015, but last Valentine’s Day it saw a major spike and jumped 235% (week ending 2/17/22) to over 3.5m Total On-Demand audio and video streams in the US compared to the week ending 2/10/22. While “Lay Me Down” caters more towards the fans who like to listen to sad music, their recent release “Unholy” with Kim Petras carries a much different tone, accessing a more saucy and confident vibe.
In addition to playing some of your favorite music, data from Luminate’s Entertainment 365 study shows that the top 3 activities that people enjoy doing solo include reading (81%), listening to podcasts (81%) and listening to audiobooks (81%). These enriching sources of entertainment are great for a night in, and coupling the activity with your favorite products from the top purchase category of personal care, sounds like a perfect evening!
To learn more about the data in this Tuesday Takeaway, purchase the full US Music 360 report here.
