Survey: gospel a big hit in SA

SOUTH Africans love gospel music – so much so that a study shows 13% of the South African population – three times the global average of 4% – favour songs of worship.

The Havas Sports & Entertainment’s FANS.PASSIONS.BRANDS, study surveyed 18 000 music lovers, aged from 13, from South Africa, France, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the US, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, China and Belgium.

The second most popular genre of music in South Africa is RnB.

The study found that while pop is the most popular genre globally, in South Africa it comes third with 9% of music lovers citing it as their favourite.

University of KwaZulu-Natal culture, communication and media studies lecturer Professor JeanPhilippe Wade was not surprised by the findings.

“The results are amazing although it is not surprising because of the extraordinary power of Christianity in South Africa.

“I am always surprised as an academic how overwhelming the religious students are. It always quite amazes me how deeply Christianity is held in South Africa. Gospel music is deeply felt as well,” he said.

Wade was also not surprised that RnB and pop were among the top three favourite genres in South Africa, but was saddened that rock had not featured.

“One thing I am surprised by is that there is almost a kind of death of rock music in South Africa. It is amazingly marginal.”

Wade joked that as an academic “one always hopes that music and rebellion go hand-in-hand”.

The study found South Africa had the highest number of fans, 46% of the population, who debated and promoted their opinions about musical taste.

It also found that most people throughout the world listen to more than 10 music genres.

“The results reveal a growing trend in music that owes its origins to the digital revolution.

“This has given birth to a new age of passionate listeners who consume many styles of music known as the shuffle age,” say the researchers.