WE ARE ALL EARS ACCORDING TO MASTERCARD SOUND INDEX

according to Mastercard Sound Index

According to Mastercard Sound Index research, the average person listens to two hours and nine minutes of music, podcasts and audiobooks each day – totaling a massive 32 days a year across Europe. The research anticipates that 2 out of 5 people will go voice shopping in the next five years.

The data obtained from Mastercard Sound Index research reveal that spend on ‘audiotainment’ has jumped by 19 percent in the last 12 months to reach 212 Euro per person a year on average across Europe. Almost one in three households (30%) was found to own a smart speaker, with men spending on average 73 Euro more a year on their ears than women.

Almost half of the European population say they wear headphones every day, with Millennials topping the charts for the longest duration of one hours and 53 minutes each day.

Of the subjects of Mastercard Sound Index research, 31 percent of the users that use audio controlled devices to play music, 23 per cent of radio users, 13 percent of the questioners and 21 percent of the tech-savvy have shopped using voice activation and with 19% saying they had completed a voice purchase in the last week, as the research puts forward.

The research also puts forward that nearly two in five Europeans expect to be voice shopping in the next five years. According to latest analysis, voice commerce is predicted to reach 40 billion Dollars worldwide by 2022. The findings show that sound is becoming an even more powerful sense with two in three of those questioned, corresponding to 68 percent, saying listening to certain sounds helps them exercise; 71 percent think it makes them more productive and 84 percent think it makes them happier. Sound Index results reveal that sounds become gradually more important for people, and 74 percent of those questioned express that the sounds of nature make them feel calmer while 71 percent express that it reduces stress or anxiety.

Listening to birds singing, waves and the sound of rain were revealed as the world’s favorite sounds as part of the study. Others on the list include the sound of a wind rustling trees, pianos playing and crackling.