Digital enabled experience – the listening experience in music streaming

Abstract

This article investigates what constitutes a music listening experience in digitaldriven markets and identifies the drivers, as well as outcomes of the experience. The article uses data collected from 1,794 respondents to a face-to-face survey to perform a structural equation modelling. The article reveals that the listening experience is an important mediator that enables artists to strengthen their relationships with fans, through playlists. The experience consists of cognitive, emotional, and sensory values; it is influenced by social factors such as recommendations and social fellowship with musical peers; and it strongly drives loyalty toward playlists. These results suggest that the key concept for understanding digital streaming services is the music listening co-experience, reflecting a social imperative.