Elsevier

Computers in Human Behavior

Volume 39, October 2014, Pages 71-77
Computers in Human Behavior

The uses and gratifications of using Facebook music listening applications

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.07.001Get rights and content

Highlights

  • This study examines motivations for using music listening applications on Facebook.

  • A principal axis factor analysis identified three different motivations.

  • Communication and entertainment gratifications exist, as for other SNS features.

  • The habitual diversion factor may be unique to music listening applications.

Abstract

Despite rapid adoption of social media as a means of music listening, little is known about users’ motivations. This study applies the uses and gratifications approach to users’ motivations for using music listening applications on Facebook. Participants completed an online survey, and 153 out of 576 respondents indicated that they used a Facebook music listening application. A principal axis factor analysis identified three different motivations for this usage, namely entertainment, communication, and habitual diversion gratifications. The entertainment and communication gratifications replicate those found in prior uses and gratifications research concerning other social networking features, illustrating the strong similarity between uses of music and social media. However, the habitual diversion gratification may serve to distinguish listening applications from other features. Identifying and explaining these factors is relevant to social media users, musicians and application designers, as they explain what motivates a means of music listening that is gaining prominence.

Introduction

Rapid technological developments mean that people have the ability to use music in ways that did not exist barely a decade ago (Lonsdale & North, 2011). Music is more accessible and cheaper than before; and the Internet and social media have transformed the opportunities to discover, share, and consume digital music (Leong & Wright, 2011). 2013 statistics indicate an even greater shift towards digital music technology as the primary way people listen to and discover music (British Recorded Music Industry, 2014). In the U.S., music and entertainment app use in 2013 grew 78% in 2013 over 2012 (Khalaf, 2014) and U.S. teens have approximately seven music apps on their smartphones (Neilsen Company, 2014). The Neilsen Company (2014) reported that streaming consumption grew 32% in 2013 over 2012 in the U.S., with 68% of U.S. consumers streaming music in 2013; and in the U.K., listeners streamed 7.4 billion songs in 2013, double the amount in 2012, leading the value of music streaming to surpass 100 million pounds (BPI, 2014). Moreover, musicians are also engaging with fans via social media (Burns, 2009). Indeed, in 2013, nine out of the 10 most-liked people on Facebook and seven of the 10 most followed people on Twitter were musicians (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, 2013). Thus, there is a cultural shift in music and social media due their reciprocal influence on each other (Burns, 2009). As such, it is impossible to understand the role of music in the modern social world without an understanding of music in the context of social networking (web)sites (SNSs). However, the recency of this development means that it is not well understood.

In 2011, the popular SNS Facebook allowed users to enable third-party applications (apps) to publish activity to Facebook (San Pascual, 2013). In doing so, Facebook and online music services aimed to transform music discovery and sharing (San Pascual, 2013). This change allowed users to listen to music and display their music listening history, share links to particular pieces of music, and even join in on friends’ listening sessions. After only a year, 62.6 million songs had been involved in a striking 22 billion plays (Kirn, 2012) via these methods, such that it represents a significant, new means of listening to, discovering, and recommending music, especially among those who are regular SNS users. For instance, as of March 2014, there were over 34 million monthly active users of the Spotify Facebook application (http://www.statista.com/statistics/241424/dau-and-mau-of-spotifys-facebook-app/). While the number of active users demonstrates that SNS users are embracing this feature, the uses for and gratifications resulting from such behavior are unknown.

Uses and gratifications theory (U&G) is an approach to understanding how and why people seek out specific media. As a communication theory that assumes that audience members are not passive, it provides a useful paradigm to analyze media choices and consumption (Ruggiero, 2000). Well established as a framework for explaining audience motives for using mass media (Cheung et al., 2011, Ruggiero, 2000), U&G theory can be applied to web 2.0 media, and SNSs in particular. Simultaneously a form of communication and media (Marshall, 2010), SNSs are intriguing subject matter for the study of the motivations, or gratifications underlying their use. The increasing popularity and expanding capabilities of SNSs strongly suggest that people infer functionality and receive gratifications from their use; however, we have very little understanding of why people are motivated to use certain SNS features. U&G theory aptly addresses these questions.

Prior research has highlighted broad social reasons for using SNSs, such as a general sense of motivation to participate or of belonging and influence (Freyne, Jacovi, Guy, & Geyer, 2009), and more specific factors such as staying in touch with friends and family members, meeting with people with common hobbies or interests, and reading comments by public figures (Chen, 2011, Joinson, 2008, Smith, 2011). However, this prior research examining uses and gratifications at the site usage level does not detail how people use specific SNS features (including those related to music). In particular, we must recognize that SNSs support a range of social activities, and that usage, motivations, and gratifications are not uniform across users (Joinson, 2008, Smock et al., 2011). Moreover, as SNSs add additional features, there is a need for greater consideration of the use of particular SNS features (Baek et al., 2011, Karnik et al., 2013, Smock et al., 2011, Wohn et al., 2011). By applying U&G theory to specific feature use, research can account for the fact that people choose their level of participation, and choose to engage in some activities or site features and not others (Baek et al., 2011, Smock et al., 2011). In turn, developers interested in improving and enhancing the users’ SNS experiences can use this detailed information when designing new features.

There are four studies that, in response, have examined the uses and gratifications for specific SNS features. The features considered include sharing links on Facebook (Baek et al., 2011), engaging in Facebook groups (Park, Kee, & Valenzuela, 2009), playing SNS games (Lee, Lee, & Choi, 2012), and participating in a music video sharing Facebook group (Karnik et al., 2013). In particular, the Karnik et al. (2013) study is of particular relevance to the present research, as it provides some data concerning a music activity. Table 1 (and the discussion of the present research) details the uses and gratifications identified by these four studies in detail. Commonalities of the gratifications across the selected features include entertainment and communication/social interaction—which mirror motivations for more general usage of Facebook/SNSs also (e.g., Joinson, 2008, Urista et al., 2009). Additionally, although framed slightly differently depending on the feature, another gratification was indicative of sharing information or promoting oneself or work. Other gratifications, however, were unique to the specific features in question. For instance, a competition motivation underlies playing SNS games, and a discovery motivation underlies participation in a Facebook group dedicated to sharing music videos. While these studies have begun to examine specific feature use, research has not yet addressed music listening within the SNS context, which is particularly surprising given the apparent degree of linkage between SNSs and music.

Therefore, the objective of the current research was to determine the motivations for using music listening applications, as a particular Facebook feature, from the perspective of U&G theory. An application of U&G theory to this topic can address this research gap from a perspective that recognizes the need for specific feature-use investigations. Moreover, a better understanding of users’ motivations benefits application developers. Therefore, the research question was as follows: What are the uses and gratifications associated with Facebook members‘ usage of music listening applications?

Given that using a music listening application can be conceptualized as an entertainment practice, it is possible that the reasoning behind music behaviors on SNSs will mirror the gratifications identified previously for participating in a music video sharing group, posting links, and playing SNS games. In particular, as both entertainment and communication were relevant to the four different features, it seems reasonable to expect that both will relate also to using Facebook music listening applications. The passing time motivation for sharing links and playing SNS games likely also applies, as all three behaviors are a way to fill time on the site. The gratifications may even mirror those associated with broad SNS use as it involves communication as well: this might manifest as gratifications related to sharing information and interacting with other users through this specific site feature. It is possible that the entertainment reason may be a stronger reason for usage of apps, because a highly cited reason for listening to music is, in fact, for entertainment or as a diversion (Lonsdale & North, 2011). However, because this involves music listening, a popular pastime in its own right, there could be unique reasons for using music listening apps within the Facebook platform. For example, Lonsdale and North (2011) showed that offline music listening has social psychological uses and gratifications (including, for example, projecting the individual’s identity to others), and so similar factors might well also be identified in SNS music listening.

Section snippets

Participants

Participants were recruited online via the author’s website, the university’s student research participation program, and dedicated online research participation websites. Participation was voluntary; however, students enrolled in the university student research participation programs received course credit for their participation.

In total, 576 individuals (36.28% USA, 15.10% UK, 48.61% Australia) provided data as a part of a larger investigation (reported in Krause, North, & Heritage, 2014).

Music listening application use

The 26.56% (N = 153) of participants who indicated that they used at least one Facebook music listening application also had the opportunity to state specifically which application(s) they used. Six of these participants listed more than one application. Spotify and Pandora were cited most often (101 and 36 times, respectively), reflecting their particular current market dominance (http://www.appdata.com/facebook_apps). In contrast, SoundCloud was listed six times, LastFM was listed three times,

Conclusions

As researchers have begun to conduct more specific and detailed investigations of how individuals use different aspects of social media (e.g., Baek et al., 2011, Karnik et al., 2013, Smock et al., 2011), the major contribution of this study is in defining the motivations behind music listening Facebook applications. The three uses and gratifications underlying using Facebook listening applications (communication, entertainment, and habitual diversion) indicate that while some individuals derive

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