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Q: demographics of country & western music lovers/fans ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   1 Comment )
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Subject: demographics of country & western music lovers/fans
Category: Reference, Education and News > Consumer Information
Asked by: mikeginnyc-ga
List Price: $50.00
Posted: 26 Apr 2005 12:45 PDT
Expires: 26 May 2005 12:45 PDT
Question ID: 514540
i'm working on a song and my partners and i aren't in total agreement
about the demographics of C&W music lovers ...
or, analogously, of NASCAR racing fans.

one of us maintains that -- these days -- there are a lot more white
collar office workers
among this group than one might stereotypically think.
(hence, one might depict the song's hero after a long day's thankless
job in an office.)

others of  us maintain that a BLUE collar situation would be more representative
of this audience ( long haul truck driver, factory worker, etc.)

can anyone shed credible light for us on the demographics -- including
employment --
of this kind of audience in the USA?

thanks!
mike in n.y.
Answer  
Subject: Re: demographics of country & western music lovers/fans
Answered By: bobbie7-ga on 26 Apr 2005 15:58 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hi Mike!

Below you will find information and demographics of Country & Western
Music  and NASCAR Ffans.


===============================================

Today's country music listener is not limited to the rural person or
the blue collar worker. The audience has grown to include people from
all walks of life.

Facts about the country audience:

?Country music is America's best liked music. According to a Harris
survey, 60% of the adult population likes country music.

Country music delivers a large, exclusive audience. 25.4% of its
listeners listen ONLY to country music.

Today's expanding country music audience has created a market for
2,6000 full time country radio stations. Up 92% since 1978!

64% of the country music audience is in the powerful 25 - 54 age
group, the peak buying years for American consumers.?

WSDS 1480
http://www.wsds1480.com/advertis.htm


===============================================


An interesting commentary from Talent on Display:

 ?Country music has changed. Nashville now wants to reach the upper
class of our society. The blue collar worker is not a part of country
music anymore. The words to most songs don't make since and the CD's''
are $14.00. Jimmy Bowen was right Nashville wanted to reach the non
country side and it has done a great job doing so.?

What Changed Traditional Country Music
http://www.talentondisplay.com/HTSN.html


===============================================


There are a lot of bar and pie charts illustrating the demographics of
country music listeners.

Download the complete report here (6 pages): 

http://www.cmaworld.com/media/pdf/marketing/mri_country_listener_2003.pdf


?35.5% of Country Music listeners reside in the top 25 DMA?s.?

 (?)

?Country artists are used in national ads and corporate promotions by
a growing list of companies including: Bud Light, Coors Light,
10-10-22, Dr. Pepper, Chevy, Dunlop, Easy Spirit/Nine West, Ford Motor
Co., GM Card, IBC Root Beer, Jerzees, Jim Beam, Mack Trucks, Miller
Lite, Slim Fast, Sparkle Paper Towels, Titleist, Tractor Supply
Company and Wrangler.?

The Country Music Association
http://www.cmaworld.com/marketing/industry_statistics_listener_analysis.asp


===============================================


?Although females dominated Country music's fan base in recent years,
Toby Keith says those numbers are changing.?

"There is a big 'guy audience' for Country music," he said. "It wasn't
just Eminem and people like that. You know, the pop and the rap was so
heavy - dominated by the male listener. I showed them that there was a
blue collar guy out there that liked American Country music."

Country Music Industry Breathes Sigh of Relief in 2004
http://www.voanews.com/english/2004-12-23-voa40.cfm?renderforprint=1&textonly=1&&TEXTMODE=1&CFID=13611078&CFTOKEN=11777320
 

===============================================


WQDR, the Triangle's top-rated station, is also the only country
station in the top 15. So its listener audience provides a good
snapshot of the local fan base for country music.

?Here's a statistical look at the audience of the Triangle's dominant
country station, WQDR, 94.7 FM:

HOW THEY LIVE
42 percent own homes with a value of $125,000 to $199,000
56.3 percent have no children.

WHAT THEY EARN

89.7 percent of households make $25,000 or more
80.4 percent $35,000 or more
72.9 percent $40,000 or more.
59.4 percent $50,000 or more.
34.9 percent $75,000 or more

JOBS AND EDUCATION
89.2 percent graduated from high school.
57.3 percent have at least some college.
53.2 percent are white-collar workers.
25.9 percent are blue-collar workers.

AGE
* 12-17: 11 percent.
* 18-24: 16 percent
* 25-34: 21 percent
* 35-44: 20 percent
* 45-54: 17 percent
* 55-64: 10 percent
* 65 or older: 6 percent

The station notes that 48 percent of the audience is under 35; that
age category makes up 41 percent of the local population.?

(Arbitron/Scarborough)
http://www.newsobserver.com/print/sunday/arts/story/2299669p-8678425c.html


===============================================


?Comcast Spotlight provides the demographics of Country Music
Television (CMT),   America?s #1 country music network.
Age
18-34 37.8%
35-54 42.6%
55+ 19.6%

Gender
Men 47.8%
Women 52.2%

Education
Attended College 29.8%
College Grad + 14.5%

Household Income
$30K ? $49,999 23.3%
$50K ? $74,999 22.0%
$75K + 27.6%

Home Ownership
Own Home 74.4%
Rent Home 24.5%

Presence of Children
1 + Child in Household 47.8%

Median Age 40.0 years

Median Household
Income $50K?
Comcast Spotlight http://www.comcastspotlight.com/sites/Default.aspx?pageid=2467&display=1&subnav=2&networkid=344


===============================================


CountryCharts.com is rated as the most popular country music site by DirectHit.com.

Their demographic data is as follows: 

?Interests
Country Music	100%

Gender
Female	66%
Male	34%

Age:
Under 18 16%
18-25	 21%
26-29	  8%
30-39	 21%
40-49	 20%
50-59	 11%
60 or over 3%


Marital Status
Single    48%
Married   40%
Divorced  8%
Other	  4%


Education
Grammer/middle school   14%
High school diploma     30%
Some college            35%
Bachelor?s degree       14%
Graduate degree          7%


Income
Under 15,000      24%
$16,000-$29,000   25%
$30,000-$39,000   16%
$40,000-$49,000   10%
$50,000-$59,000   11%
$60,000-$69,000    6%
$70,000 +          8%


Children in Household
0       55%
1       17%
2       17%
3        7%
4+       4%?


Country Charts 
http://www.countrycharts.com/advertising.htm


===============================================


?The average country music audience is 48% male and 52% female.  49%
of our listeners attended college and 76% of them are employed
fulltime.  70% of country music listeners own their own homes and 34%
of them are married with one or more children.  65% of the country
music listeners bring home $25K to $75K in household income while 17%
of them make more than $75K.?

KIXS
http://www.kixs.com/advertise.html


===============================================


?Country Music has been homogenized to appeal to a declining target
market?25-34 White demographic segment.?

Demographics and Country Music Trends (2000),
http://www.energyandwatereconomics.com/What_s_New/Country_Music.htm



?The White 20-34 segment has been a declining market for the last ten
years. Station managers, program directors, and Music Row executives
who made "Young Country" recording and programming choices aimed at
that critical 20-34 demographic cut failed to anticipate the 5 percent
decline in Whites 20-34 in the last decade.?

Demographics Undermined Music Row's Pop-Crossover Strategy (2001)
http://www.energyandwatereconomics.com/What_s_New/country_music2001.html



?You get no respect from Corporate Radio if you are among the largest
group of Country Music listeners and buyers, the 45-65 age cut. With
28 percent listeners, 49 million baby-boomer White Americans generate
14 million Country Music fans and buyers -- the largest single
demographic block. Country Music Broadcasters, referring to the
Country Music?s traditional market as "aging," -- the ultimate insult
to baby boomers who haven't yet pulled the plug on living large --
commissioned survey research by Edison Media Research, seeking a way
to reverse the trend of declining record sales. The recommended
strategy: sell more Country Music to 15 ? 29  year olds, ?only 12
percent of whom cite Country as their favorite musical genre.?

Source: 
Diversity, Diversity, Diversity Should be Country Music's Mantra©
Abridged version ran in The Tennessean, April 4, 2003 as 
"Stranglehold on the airways is choking country music"
William W. Wade 
April 4, 2003
http://www.energyandwatereconomics.com/Publications/Country%20Radio%20Seminarpaper%20040403.doc


Taken from William Wade Publications:
http://www.energyandwatereconomics.com/Publications/publications.html


===============================================


"Super Bowl Dreams for Country Music: Winning Over Today's Younger Generation"
This national survey of Country Music from the viewpoint of the
younger generation was presented at the 34rd Annual Country Radio
Seminar.

Women are much more likely to say that they like Country "A Lot" than men.
Female: 65%
Male 35%

Page 25: Sports Fans and Country Music, % who are fans of each sport

Download here:
http://www.crb.org/pdf/edison_research.pdf


===============================================

Country Radio Listeners 

See the presentation made by Rhody Bosley to the Albright & O'Malley Feb 2003

Page 17: Pie chart 
67% of audience is P 25-54

Page 18: 
Country audiences by age ? index

Page 19:
Education: high school + = 53% 

Page 20:
Country listener education level Country listener education level
indexed to the market

Page 21:
Family Size

Page 22: 
Income

Page 23:
25% husband and and wife employed 
45% children at home 
74% own home 
79% computer at home 
9% owns motor home 
67% owns cell phone

Page 24: Political party affiliation


Download here (40 pages)
http://www.researchdirectorinc.com/pdf/AlbrightOMalley2003.pdf
Research Director Inc.


===============================================


COUNTRY MUSIC MARKET TRENDS

?The target demographic for country is ages 25-54. At least that's
what the country radio chiefs want advertisers to hear.?
http://www.mbsolutions.com/biz/Info20.html


?Country music reaches a broad and ever-increasing portion of the
American audience. Reports show that nearly 42 million adults listen
to Country Radio on a weekly basis. A listener profile shows that
almost 43 percent of adult Country Radio listeners are between the
ages of 25-44. Country Radio reaches more adults than any other
format, with a weekly cumulative rating of adults 18 years and older
at nearly 21 percent, making it America?s leading radio format.?

Country Cares http://www.countrycares.org/content/includetextmedia/2004%20CC%20Fact%20Sheet.doc


*******************
NASCAR Demographics
*******************

Racing West compiled the following NASCAR Demographics

Female   38% 
Male     62% 


Occupation 
Professional/Manager   27% 
Tech'n/Clerk/Sales     21% 
Craft Precision        13% 
Unskilled Labor        10% 
Retired/Unemployed     12% 
Other                  17% 


Employment 
Full Time           72% 
Part Time           10% 
Retired/Unemployed  18% 


Education 
Some H.S.                  12% 
H.S. Grad                  88% 
Some College/College Grad  38% 


Residence 
Rent    28% 
Own     72% 


Age 
Under 18   3% 
18-24     15% 
25-34     29% 
35-44     25% 


Marital Status 
Married           64% 
Single            22% 
Divorced/Widowed  14%  

Sources: Simmons Market Research Bureau, Inc. and Performance Research 

Match Fence
http://www.catchfence.com/html/advertisingrates.html


===============================================


From the South Coast Today:


?The average NASCAR fan is a white male between the ages of 35 and 44.
He is a married high school graduate who owns his home and works full
time. His household income is between $30,000 and $50,000, and he
lists his job under the "professional/manager" category.?

?Other statistics that point to NASCAR's mainstream appeal: 39 percent
of fans are women; 46 percent have attended college with nearly half
of those graduating; 36 percent have a household income exceeding
$50,000."

Taken from NASCAR's annual demographics report (1998 season). 

South Coast Today
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/05-99/05-05-99/d01sp122.htm


===============================================


From an article published on February 2004 at Delaware Online: 

NASCAR FANS 

Gender distribution 
Male	  60%
Female  40%


Age distribution 
        U.S. pop.       NASCAR fans
18-34	    32%                32%
35-44	    21%                26%
45+	    47%                43%


Income distribution 
             U.S. pop.  NASCAR fans
$30-50,000       22%     29%
$50-75,000       18%     22%
$75-100,000      12%     12%
$100,000+         9%      8%


Regional distribution 
            U.S. pop.       NASCAR fans
Northeast       20%         20%
Midwest         23%         24%
South           35%         38%
West            21%         19%


Ethnic diversity 
% of NASCAR fan base (18+): 
                     1999   2002   Trend
Hispanic             3.6%   8.6%   +139%
African-American     4.9%   9.1%    +86%

Source: NASCAR 

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/02/15daytonaushersin.html



===============================================


?NASCAR fans are a cross section of America - men, women and children
from every state, every walk of life and every income group.?

38.5% of NASCAR fans over 18 are women.
40.1% have attended college 
37.2% earn over $50,000 and 16.8% earn over $75,000 a year
69.8% are ages 18-54

View NASCAR demographic pie charts here:
http://www.jodyfolice.com/dash2.htm


===============================================


NASCAR DEMOGRAPHICS 
NASCAR Brand Study and Stowell Data


HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Average Household Income for NASCAR fans is $68,267.00

AGE DEMOGRAPHICS
11% of NASCAR fans are age 18-24; 21% of NASCAR fans are age 25-34;
26% of NASCAR fans are age 35-44; 19% of NASCAR fans are age 45-54;
15% of NASCAR fans are age 55-64 and 9% of NASCAR fans are 65 or
older.

GENDER
59% Male, 41% Female

MARRIED/SINGLE
60.6% of all NASCAR fans are married.

ETHNIC
24.5% of NASCAR fans are African American

EDUCATION
60% of NASCAR fans have some college education.


Viper Alley Forum
http://www.viperalley.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=400490&Main=400464

Archived page from Racing Limos
http://web.archive.org/web/20041124174552/http://www.racinglimos.com/motorsports_popularity.phtml?id=26


===============================================


Search terms:
County Music Trends
Country OR western music age gender income
Country OR western music lover OR fan OR fans OR lovers age gender income
?Country music" audience income
Demographics of country OR western music lovers OR fans
NASCAR fans demographics
NASCAR age gender income


I hope the information provided is helpful. 


Best regards,   
Bobbie7
mikeginnyc-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars and gave an additional tip of: $15.00
what a treat!  i hope bobbie7 doesn't get tired of doing such great work,
because i DON'T get tired of benefiting from it .....

Comments  
Subject: Re: demographics of country & western music lovers/fans
From: bobbie7-ga on 27 Apr 2005 07:56 PDT
 
Dear Mike,
Thank you very much for the kind words, the five stars, and the nice tip!
--Bobbie7

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