Danes reach number one in ‘listening charts’

Date: 04/07/02

FOOT-TAPPING Danes are top of the EU music-listening charts, according to the latest Eurobarometer study.

Some 82.5 of the population listens to at least one piece of music every day, just ahead of the Swedes (79) and the Dutch (75). The EU average is 61, while 6 of Europeans say they never listen to music.

Despite the trend for MP3 players and the internet, most people get their music from the radio or TV (88.5).

So who listens to what?

The majority of Europeans (51) prefer rock and pop, especially the Danes (70), French (69) and Belgians (65).

The next category is 'easy listening' (32), followed by folk and traditional (30) and classical (28).

However, there are wide differences between member states. Folk and traditional music is the favourite for Portuguese (65), Greeks (62.5) and Austrians (45).

Cultured Luxembourgers (46), Swedes (41) and Brits (41), meanwhile, are the most likely to switch on classical tunes or opera.

The Finns buck all trends with a massive 70.5 preferring to while away the long hours of darkness with easy listening music.

The Danes are top of the EU music-listening charts, according to the latest Eurobarometer study.