Breadcrumb Home Impact and Insights Impact and Insights Research is vital to our mission, helping us identify barriers, shape policy, and direct funding to create equal opportunities for young people to make and monetise music. NextGen insights and impact SONG report 2024 Born Into Music, Locked Out of Power Excluded By Design Turning insights into action Through our work, we gather and share powerful insights into the challenges and opportunities within the music industry. By collaborating with young people, music creators, and industry professionals, we ensure that our findings reflect lived experiences and diverse perspectives. We’re committed to making our insights accessible and actionable. Whether you’re a policymaker, a funder, or a grassroots organisation, you’ll find tools, data, and evidence to support your work and amplify your impact.Together, we’re building a music industry that works for everyone. Our impact on grassroots organisations 86% 86% of our funding in the last 5 years has been outside of London. 3.4 million In 25 years, we've reached 3.4 million young people, including over 340 NextGen creatives. 41% 41% of our funded partners have considered closure in the past year. Just The Way It Is Report Just the Way It Is? reveals how unsafe environments, discrimination and exploitation continue to shape the experiences of young people working across the music industries, with marginalised creatives most affected.Drawing on testimonies from 19 young people, the report outlines key recommendations for industry leaders, policymakers and funders, and includes practical guidance to help young creatives navigate the music industries more safely. Read the report Youth Music's Annual Reports Discover how Youth Music is driving change nationwide. Youth Music’s annual reports reveal how we invest in young people, strengthen grassroots projects and champion equal access to musicSee how we’re transforming young lives through music See our Annual Reports THOUGHT LEADERSHIP news Born Into Music, Locked Out of Power Our latest thought leadership piece, 'Born Into Music, Locked out of Power', exposes the structural inequalities blocking Global Majority young people from progressing in the music industry, despite their deep-rooted cultural connection to music. Read more news A New Era of Music Therapy: Young People Rely on Lyrics to Aid Wellbeing Discover the transformative power of music and lyrics in improving young people's mental health, creativity, and community bonds. Read more news Generation AI: How Young Musicians are Embracing AI How are young creatives using AI to reshape music? Discover their innovative approaches, insights, and hopes for a future where AI levels the playing field in the music industry. Read more news Are Nursery Rhymes Outdated? New research reveals many parents see nursery rhymes as outdated. Discover how families are embracing diverse genres and why early years music needs reimagining to truly reflect children’s creativity today. Read more Flagship Research Sound of The Next Generation 2024 Music is vital to young people's wellbeing and identity, but barriers like access and cost hold many back. Explore the findings and calls for action in the Sound of the Next Generation report. Read more The Sound of the Next Generation 2019 Ground-breaking insights into how young people value music and its impact on their lives. Explore key findings and interactive visuals. #SoundoftheNextGen Read more A Blueprint for the Future A new generation ready to transform music. This report shares insights from 1,300 young people eager to start careers but facing inadequate paths from education to employment. Read more Reshape Music Discover the barriers Disabled musicians face and the urgent changes needed to create a more inclusive music industry. Read the findings and recommendations from our groundbreaking report. Read more Youth Music Self-Expression Report Read our Self-Expression report exploring the links between songwriting, self-expression and wellbeing in young people. Read more Exchanging Notes 2018 Exchanging Notes united schools and community music to empower young people through creative, impactful learning. Explore the findings and stories. Read more Our Music 2006 A 2006 Youth Music survey reveals how young people engaged with music, highlighting their preference for making music independently or with friends over school settings. Read more Prev Next Feedback surveys Youth Music Feedback Survey 2023 Youth Music’s annual Feedback Survey gathers insights from our funded partners and applicants to help us improve. This year’s findings highlight our impact, key challenges, and recommendations—exploring funding flexibility, youth voice, and sustainability. Read more NextGen Feedback Survey 2022 Find out what young creatives told Youth Music through the NextGen Feedback Survey about how much impact Youth Music are having and what we could do to facilitate the development of young creatives' careers. Read more NextGen Feedback Survey 2021 Discover how Youth Music's NextGen community supports 18-25-year-olds pursuing careers in the music industry with paid opportunities, mentoring, and inspiring stories. Read more Youth Music Stakeholder Survey 2020 Youth Music’s annual survey gathers anonymous feedback from grantholders and applicants to assess our performance, refine our grants programme, and track industry challenges. Read more Prev Next
news Born Into Music, Locked Out of Power Our latest thought leadership piece, 'Born Into Music, Locked out of Power', exposes the structural inequalities blocking Global Majority young people from progressing in the music industry, despite their deep-rooted cultural connection to music. Read more
news A New Era of Music Therapy: Young People Rely on Lyrics to Aid Wellbeing Discover the transformative power of music and lyrics in improving young people's mental health, creativity, and community bonds. Read more
news Generation AI: How Young Musicians are Embracing AI How are young creatives using AI to reshape music? Discover their innovative approaches, insights, and hopes for a future where AI levels the playing field in the music industry. Read more
news Are Nursery Rhymes Outdated? New research reveals many parents see nursery rhymes as outdated. Discover how families are embracing diverse genres and why early years music needs reimagining to truly reflect children’s creativity today. Read more
Sound of The Next Generation 2024 Music is vital to young people's wellbeing and identity, but barriers like access and cost hold many back. Explore the findings and calls for action in the Sound of the Next Generation report. Read more
The Sound of the Next Generation 2019 Ground-breaking insights into how young people value music and its impact on their lives. Explore key findings and interactive visuals. #SoundoftheNextGen Read more
A Blueprint for the Future A new generation ready to transform music. This report shares insights from 1,300 young people eager to start careers but facing inadequate paths from education to employment. Read more
Reshape Music Discover the barriers Disabled musicians face and the urgent changes needed to create a more inclusive music industry. Read the findings and recommendations from our groundbreaking report. Read more
Youth Music Self-Expression Report Read our Self-Expression report exploring the links between songwriting, self-expression and wellbeing in young people. Read more
Exchanging Notes 2018 Exchanging Notes united schools and community music to empower young people through creative, impactful learning. Explore the findings and stories. Read more
Our Music 2006 A 2006 Youth Music survey reveals how young people engaged with music, highlighting their preference for making music independently or with friends over school settings. Read more
Youth Music Feedback Survey 2023 Youth Music’s annual Feedback Survey gathers insights from our funded partners and applicants to help us improve. This year’s findings highlight our impact, key challenges, and recommendations—exploring funding flexibility, youth voice, and sustainability. Read more
NextGen Feedback Survey 2022 Find out what young creatives told Youth Music through the NextGen Feedback Survey about how much impact Youth Music are having and what we could do to facilitate the development of young creatives' careers. Read more
NextGen Feedback Survey 2021 Discover how Youth Music's NextGen community supports 18-25-year-olds pursuing careers in the music industry with paid opportunities, mentoring, and inspiring stories. Read more
Youth Music Stakeholder Survey 2020 Youth Music’s annual survey gathers anonymous feedback from grantholders and applicants to assess our performance, refine our grants programme, and track industry challenges. Read more
