A new survey has revealed that the majority of people in the UK have said that music has helped them cope with the stresses of lockdown.
The survey of over 1,000 adults, taken by pollsters Public First and published this week by UK Music, is the biggest of its kind since the live music industry was forced into closure by the coronavirus pandemic.
It found that 57 per cent of adults cited music with helping them cope during lockdown, compared to just 14 per cent who disagreed.
42 per cent said they have listened to more music than usual during lockdown, with 31 per cent saying they turned to music when feeling anxious and 56 per cent to improve their mood when feeling low.
UK Music has also said that around a million adults have taken up a musical instrument during lockdown.
Elsewhere, the survey displayed substantial support among the public for the live music sector. Despite the pandemic, 43 per cent of the UK public are interested in going to a live gig or festival this year, and two thirds of those surveyed plan to attend as many or even more gigs than they did before coronavirus.
Among 18-to-24 year-olds, 38 per cent say that going to a music festival or gig is one of the things they’re most looking forward to after the pandemic, while 45 per cent are worried about the financial viability of venues due to the impact of Covid-19.
“Combined with the huge economic contribution the music industry made pre-Covid-19, this is further evidence that the UK music industry is a key national asset that should be protected and supported by Government,” said UK Music’s chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin.
“With the right support, music can continue to play a vital role in improving people’s health and wellbeing in the months ahead as we look to recover from this pandemic.”
Live music is set to return without restrictions in England on Monday (July 19) following the UK government’s decision to go ahead with lifting the majority of coronavirus-enforced rules in the country. Restrictions on live events will continue, however, in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for the meantime.
Earlier this week, a forecast found that the UK’s live music sector is expected to return to its pre-pandemic revenues by the year 2025.
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