Lost in music, the forgotten albums we will never hear
THE sound of music is beaten by the sound of silence for millions of music lovers who each own at least 13 albums they have never once listened to.
An estimated five per cent of the typical record collection , £192-worth of music, is left in its box, sleeve or computer file, ignored as an impulse buy or unwanted gift.
The average album in a collection is listened to 15 times, said the research, by music website CompareDownload.
Men spend just under £12,500 on music over their lifetime compared to women who spend £9,120, with the cost including concerts, merchandise and audio equipment.
The average man will end up owning 292 albums and singles , while the typical woman will have 221.
CDs still make up 63 per cent of the average collection and downloads only 27 per cent, but these positions are likely to be reversed in a few years’ time.
More than four in 10 men (42 per cent) say they download illegally compared to just 29 per cent of women and one in four men say 50 per cent of their music collection is pirated.
CompareDownload said research showed most people would buy more music if it was cheaper .
James Bott of CompareDownload said: “The amount of money people will spend on music in a lifetime is extraordinary. But they still feel music is too expensive, and 63 per cent would be less likely to download illegally if they could find the music they want at lower costs.”