Francophone Music Gets Streaming Boost Based on Visibility: UQAM Study

A new study by the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) is highlighting the impact of increased visibility for French-language music on streaming platforms.

This week, UQAM published a new study measuring the impact of MUSIQC, the Quebec French-language streaming platform created by SPACQ-AE, the Professional Society of Quebec Authors, Composers and Entrepreneurial Artists, on Québécois music.

The study, titled "The MUSICQ Effect: A Study of the Impact of Editorial Playlists on Streams of French-Language Songs," highlights an increase in streams for Francophone music after being featured in editorial playlists on the app. The study was conducted by Alexis Perron-Brault, PhD and professor of marketing at UQAM's School of Management, in collaboration with Destiny Tchéhouali, PhD and professor at the university's Department of Social and Public Communication.

The research shows that increasing the visibility of French music on the streaming app, particularly by featuring it in editorial playlists, generated an increase in Spotify streams, with catalogue songs (older than 18 months) rising by 6.1% and recent songs (released within the past 3-18 months) rising by 13%. Recent songs also continued to benefit from 10 to 16% more listening up to 13 to 24 weeks after first being added to a playlist, which shows a lasting impact. Overall, even 90% the least listened songs benefitted from 8.8 million additional Spotify streams over a twelve-week period, a longstanding effect.

"Since the launch of MUSIQC, we have defended a simple conviction: for our music to be listened to, it must first be visible to be discovered. Today, this study finally allows us to begin to concretely measure the impact of this exhibition. Behind each additional listening, there is a work, an artist and music professionals who have a better chance of reaching their audiences," says Ariane Charbonneau, executive director of SPACQ-AE.

The study shows tangible results related to visibility, as the topic of representing French-language music and Canadian content continues to be a controversial topic at the provincial and federal level. Recently, SPACQ-AE was one of 30 Quebec music groups and associations that signed an open letter calling for the Canadian government to focus on “offline discoverability” for local artists, amid a slump in growth for local music in the province.

Last winter, Quebec passed Bill 109, which called for digital platforms to prioritize French-language cultural content by implementing content quotas. Debates surrounding the CRTC's CanCon regulations, the funding of Canadian content and its visibility on major streaming platforms have also amplified, even playing a role in the collapse of trade talks between Canada and the U.S.

Last week, the CRTC launched a free database to increase the discoverability of Canadian music and allow broadcasters and listeners to more easily identify Canadian music.

"Our analyses show a statistically measurable increase in listening following the integration of songs into MUSIQC playlists. The effects observed are particularly interesting for works that initially have more limited visibility. These results allow us to better document the potential contribution of initiatives to actively promote musical works in the digital environment. We thank SPACQ-AE for giving us access to MUSIQC data to make a case study for the discoverability of our music," explains Perron-Brault.

SPACQ-AE's mission is to protect and defend the interests of songwriters, music composers, and artist-entrepreneurs, and it looks to continue its analysis via other major music platforms like Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube and more. Beyond digital regulation, the association wants to connect listeners to French-language and Quebec-made music in real-life, everyday settings.

"We have been investing in the creation of our music for decades. It is now also necessary to invest in their ability to reach their audiences," Charbonneau adds.

Find the full study here.