Latent profile analysis reveals four distinct younger adult music listener typologies

The evolution of digital listening technologies continues to impact the way we think about music consumption and music listening practices. Krause and North’s (2016) findings suggest that, in addition to demographic characteristics, psychological constructs should be considered when investigating listening practices and technology use. The present study used latent profile analysis (LPA), a statistical technique that identifies latent subgroups within a population, to explore profiles of music listening in younger adults. We drew on data collected from 584 adults aged 17−35 ( M age = 19.61) residing in Australia (74.1% female and 23.3% male). Participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographics questions and established measures of musicianship, music engagement, music identity and format use. LPA identified four distinct profiles of listeners: disengaged consumers (5.8% of the sample), enthusiasts (14.2%) and two mainstream listening profiles differentiated by paid (52.6%) versus free streaming use (27.4%). Format use, music identity and music engagement were relevant differentiators of the listener profiles. Our findings indicate heterogeneity in young adult music listeners, pointing to how the constellation of these indicators shapes distinct patterns of engagement with music. Study findings further our theoretical understanding of how individuals consume music in everyday life with implications for future research aiming to unpack the distinct psychological and behavioural characteristics that shape different listeners.