Thank you for the music? The role and significance of music for adolescents

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to understand the significance and role that music plays in adolescent socialization with a view to developing better segmentation and targeting of this fickle and demanding group of consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a qualitative approach that attempts to get as close to the teenagers as possible – thus teenagers design and develop their own questions and interpret their own data.

Findings

This research provides an insight into the use and consumption of music at the time of the study. The data collected focus on what is important to the teenagers (typically what music “means” and the experiences it creates) and does not center on method of purchase.

Originality/value

Where previous studies have considered type (genre) of music consumed and have focused on what is important to the researcher, this study considers youth use and consumption of popular music using teenagers to interview their friends and to interpret their findings.

Citation

Nuttall, P. (2008), "Thank you for the music? The role and significance of music for adolescents", Young Consumers, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 104-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/17473610810879675