In 2011 Germans spent more money on concerts of classical music than on pop music. Furthermore, for the first time, the number of classical fans exceeded those attending pop concerts. 64% of classical concert-goers were over sixty.
According to a study made by the Society for Consumer Research (Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung, GKF) in 2011, 15.5% of all Germans went to a classical concert or musical theatre, and 14.1% to rock or pop concerts. The figures went down after 2008, the beginning of the recession. They have improved but have not yet reached the 2008 level.
Moreover, Germans spent more money on live concerts than on sound recordings (Tonträgerverkauf). This was not so in 1995, when the expenditure on both was in balance.
40% of classical fans have subscriptions to concerts.
Finally, the figures demonstrate, probably to nobody’s surprise, that many pop lovers convert to classical music after the age of fifty.
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung, August
Eric Koch’s new book, The Golden Years: Five Stories, was launched on Saturday, March 16. The book is available from the 
It’s the last sentence that is the most interesting to me. After a while one just gets tired of the simplistic element in much of pop music (doin;t jump down my throat, I didn’t say ALL). But so much pop music consists in tunes of five notes or less, and of the same steady beat throughout, it’s really boring!!.
Of course I entirely agree with you. But we cannot deny that pop music, however musically challenged, meets the demands of vast numbers of people, mostly young, in the entire world. Let us not ask why.
Well, yes actually you could. Pop music deals with common/facile emotions and that is what it is there for. Sometimes good pop music carries real weight – a lot of the times not. It is also intended for and targeted at a specific demographic. But there is a whole world of independent/alternative/worldbeat/roots/blues/reggae/celtic/electronic/dance/africa/india etc. etc. that many young people will tap into. Don’t judge the young by mainstream corporate pop culture powered by the suits.. or mainstream reality talent shows that cater to desperate and ordinary aspirations – there are many young musicians whose first training would have exposed them to classical music – and many interesting artists – don’t judge a whole generation by the garbage pushed by mainstream television ET or talent fests… Just like books, some young people will read/lisen to classics – you can’t force mass culture to hear (or think).
“64% of classical concert-goers were over sixty” Maybe the story is a tribute to the longevity of Germans – but without the 50ish conversion, the phenomenon won’t last, I predict.