A uses and gratifications approach to considering the music formats that people use most often

Abstract

With many ways for consumers to access and consume music, little is known about why people choose to listen to music via one format over another. Using a uses and gratifications approach, the present research used an online questionnaire (N = 396) to examine people’s format use, concerning six particular formats. The results suggest that eight dimensions, namely, usability and intention to use, discovery, functional utility, flexibility, connection, social norms, value for money, and playback diversity, define the uses and gratifications that particular formats serve. When considering whether format use was related to broader music engagement behaviors, results indicated different associatio..