The new reality: Rock fans buy, hip-hop fans stream

August 12, 2023 Alan Cross 0 Comments 0 min read

Yesterday was a big day in hip-hop. August 11, 1973, is regarded as the day hip-hop began, marking the 50th anniversary of its birth. It took about 20 years for it to catch on, but now hip-hop is the driving musical force when it comes to culture in many countries around the world.

There are marked differences in the way hip-hop fans consume music vs. their rock counterparts. Statista points out that while hip-hop fans tend stream music, rockers are still (in general) quite happy to buy their music–at least as far as the US goes.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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