Mobile music on the increase across Europe

Spain led the way with 30% of mobile users listening to music from their primary handsets followed by Germany with 25.8%. The U.K., known for its affinity for music, actually falls slightly behind the average in EU5 with 22.6% penetration of mobile users. Listening to music on mobile phones was least popular in France and Italy, with 21% of both markets engaged in this activity. The US, in contrast, lags far behind all EU5 countries with only 13.2% of the mobile population using mobile handsets to listen to music.

Mobile is an ideal channel for music publishers and promoters

Germany led all EU5 countries in downloading music directly to mobile handsets with more than 1 million mobile music downloaders in March 2010, while also demonstrating the fastest growth rate at 102%. Italy ranked as the second fastest growing market (up 92%) followed by France (up 50%). Once again, growth in the EU5 countries significantly outpaced the US, which grew just 10% to 4 million users.

"Despite rapid growth in mobile music downloaders in Europe, the total addressable market in the EU5 is still quite small. However, we see a significant untapped advertising opportunity for music publishers and promoters. People who listen to music on their phones are more likely to browse the Internet and almost half own smartphones," says Alistair Hill, senior analyst at comScore. "The high penetration of smartphones and likelihood to browse shows how ideal this audience is for targeted mobile advertising. The mobile channel offers an opportunity to get in front of consumers at one of their primary access points for music consumption."

Other notable findings about Europe's mobile music market from March 2010 include:

Of the 54 million users listening to music on a mobile device in the EU5:

• 42% have a smartphone compared to 25% of the total mobile subscribers;

• 47% browse the mobile internet compared to 25% of the total mobile subscribers;
  
• 85% of those who listened to music on their phone, listen to 'side loaded' music (loaded from a PC);
  
• 8% of those who listened to music on their phone, have downloaded it direct to their device.

March 2010 European mobile benchmark data

Below is comScore's March 2010 benchmark data, including a review of mobile consumption behaviours and device penetration for five EU countries. This benchmark data will be updated on a monthly basis to provide the most up-to-date snapshot of the mobile industry. Further information on this benchmark data, and other data included above, can be provided upon request.