Music streaming has evolved significantly in the last decade. You now have multiple subscription options tailored to your consumption habits. Two primary categories have emerged: "bundled" and "music-only" listeners.
Although both groups engage with music streaming services—their choice of subscription model shapes their listening behavior, platform revenue models, and service providers' loyalty strategies.
In this article, we will detail these differences and their implications for the music industry:
Understanding 'Bundled' Listeners
'Bundled' listeners access music as part of a larger subscription package, including services like video streaming, gaming, or mobile network plans. These bundles are often discounted compared to subscribing to each service separately, which makes them attractive for cost-conscious consumers.
A study by Bango found that 80% of music streaming subscribers prefer a service that combines their music subscription with other services. Additionally, 77% believe that super-bundling is the answer to rising subscription costs.
The common examples of bundled services include:
- Amazon Prime: They offer Prime Music alongside video streaming and shopping benefits.
- Apple One: This combines Apple Music, Apple TV, iCloud, and other services.
Understanding 'Music-Only' Listeners
'Music-only' listeners subscribe to dedicated music streaming services (such as Spotify Premium, Apple Music, Tidal, or Deezer) without additional bundled offerings. These users are often more engaged with their streaming service because music is their primary entertainment focus.
This segment has a core audience for music streaming platforms. The audience often explores premium features, contributes to direct revenue streams, and influences platform development.
The major characteristics of 'music-only' listeners include:
- The willingness to pay solely for music access shows a higher perceived service value.
- The greater engagement with platform-specific features like curated playlists, lossless audio, and exclusive releases.
- The more frequent and extended listening sessions compared to the bundled subscribers.
The Differences in Listening Behavior
1. Engagement
Music-only listeners show deeper engagement levels. They explore curated playlists, personalized recommendations, and exclusive content. They are also more likely to interact with features like artist radio, user-generated playlists, and community-driven music discussions.
In addition, these users often seek out niche genres, attend virtual concerts, or participate in platform-specific promotions.
Bundled listeners, however, may use the service more passively, often playing music as background noise while engaging with other services—such as video streaming or gaming.
2. Listening Frequency
Because their subscription is music-focused, music-only users have higher daily streaming times. They often integrate music into their daily routine, such as commuting, working, exercising, and relaxing—resulting in consistent, prolonged usage.
In contrast, bundled listeners might divide their entertainment consumption among multiple services, using music less frequently or only in specific contexts. For instance, they may listen to playlists while watching a video or during brief leisure periods, rather than dedicating focused time to exploring new music.
3. Loyalty and Platform Stickiness
Music-only subscribers are often more brand-loyal, as their entire experience revolves around one service.
They are more likely to invest in premium features like high-fidelity audio, exclusive album releases, and AI-driven discovery tools. Many develop emotional connections to the platform, which causes a lower churn rate.
Bundled subscribers, on the other hand, may switch platforms if a better bundle becomes available. Since their subscription is driven by overall value rather than a specific attachment to the music service, they may be less committed to any single provider.
The Financial Impact on Streaming Platforms
- Revenue Per User: Music-only subscribers generate consistent and direct revenue while paying a fixed fee for uninterrupted music access. Bundled users, however, may contribute less revenue per user since the cost is distributed among multiple services.
- Ad-Supported vs. Paid Tiers: Many bundled users may access music services through ad-supported or discounted plans—leading to lower per-user monetization.
- Churn Rate: Bundled users are more prone to switching services when better deals arise, whereas music-only listeners maintain their subscriptions due to a strong music preference.
Loyalty Strategies for Streaming Services
Given these differences, streaming platforms implement distinct strategies to retain both listener types:
- For Bundled Listeners: Platforms focus on seamless integrations, exclusive offers, and partnerships with major telecom and entertainment providers to keep music in their daily media consumption.
- For Music-Only Listeners: Strategies include offering high-fidelity audio, exclusive artist collaborations, AI-driven personalization, and community-driven features like live audio rooms or social sharing.
Final Thoughts
The choice between bundled and music-only subscriptions reflects varying consumer priorities and behaviors. Although bundled listeners enjoy the convenience of multi-service packages, music-only subscribers engage more deeply with their chosen platforms.
Understanding these differences allows streaming services to refine their business models, optimize revenue generation, and develop tailored strategies to boost user retention.
At Reprtoir, we can help to grow your music business by managing key aspects. Chat with us for more details.
