With all the negative press that certain clubs and the island subsequently got last summer, Sony Ericcson & Ibiza Rocks recently commissioned a survey to judge trends and views about Ibiza.
We’ve been given a copy of the full 60 page report and we’ll be doing an article for May’s edition of Ibiza NOW about it but in the meantime here’s the press release sent out over the weekend.
UK RESEARCH FEBRUARY 2008
- 67% of young Britons proclaim to have ‘little or no knowledge’ of the music scene in Ibiza and only 9% affirm that they ‘love’ its music
- 49% choose contemporary rock music as their favourite genre of music as opposed to 14% who say that they prefer dance music
- The first words that come to mind to British youths when questioned on Ibiza are, in this order; ‘clubbing’, dance music’, ‘sun and beaches’, and ‘sex’ amongst others
- Ibiza Rocks is considered a more modern, different and ground-breaking concept in comparison with the image of the island in general
- Many of the rock bands who have performed at previous Ibiza Rocks events occupy the top positions of the music charts with platinum record sales to match
Introduction
On the point of beginning its 4th season on the island, the live music event organisation Ibiza Rocks and the people behind it, Andy McKay and Dawn Hindle were keen to discover which were the latest musical tendencies of the British youth tourist market.
Methodology
The survey was presented by Entertainment Media Research, a London based company specializing in Market Research and commissioned by Sony Ericsson, the official sponsors of Ibiza Rocks. Amongst other key points highlighted, the study analyzed the musical tastes and the perception of the music scene in Ibiza. 1,005 young British people between the ages of 16-30 were selected at random to participate in the research, the survey having been carried out in the form of a 20 minute questionnaire in January of this year.
The Findings of the Report
As we already know, the concept of Ibiza is and has been for some time, synonymous with clubbing, dance music, sun, sea and sex. The principle ideas that came to mind amongst the youths who take part in the research, were, amongst others:
- Dance (355 answers)
- Clubs (317)
- Sun (227)
- Party(185)
- Sex(152)
- Music(148)
- Alcohol(147)
- Drugs(139)
- Beaches(114)
On the other hand and even though the music scene in Ibiza continues to be strongly linked to the discos and clubs, it would seem that dance music is not the preferred option of the British Youth as a whole. However, the Ibiza Rocks concerts were, for 13% of the 16-30year olds questioned, better than their opinion of the island in general, whilst another 13% considered Ibiza Rocks as an ‘alternative’ to the current music on offer on the island generally.
Changing Trends
According to the Ibiza Rocks study, some 67% of those questioned demonstrated either knowing ‘nothing’ or being ‘very unfamiliar’ with the music scene in Ibiza whilst another 33% said that they were ‘very familiar’ (6%) or ‘familiar’ (27%). It seems clear that as many as two in three of participants in the study were of the belief that the dominant music being played in Ibiza was ‘not their scene’.
With respect to the same, only 9% professed to ‘love’ the dominant dance music genre on the island, whilst 22% said they ‘liked it’. Opposed to this, 26% of interviewees answered that the principle sound of the island ‘doesn’t matter’ to them, a further 16% stated that they ‘hate’ it, 15% that they weren’t keen at all and 13% professes to be ‘unfamiliar’ with it.
However, as many as 43% of the youths questioned affirmed that they liked the music policy of Ibiza Rocks.
Contemporary Music Trends
Participants in the questionnaire were quizzed over their music tastes in general. The results showed that the most popular genres were, in the following order- Contemporary Rock, Indie Rock, Chart Pop , Hip Hop, Classic Rock or Indie Pop. Dance Music trailed in at 12th position. Said in another way, 49% of British Youth opted to listen to Contemporary Rock over dance music.
Favourite Bands/Groups/Musicians/DJs: Asked to name their favourite bands, and rock components come up trumps with the following results:
- 25% Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 24% Foo Fighters
- 22% Arctic Monkeys
- 21% Kaiser Chiefs
- 21% Muse
- 17% Mika / Pink
Only 6% name international DJs including Pete Tong or Sasha as their key musical preference. It’s important to note that Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and Mika have already graced the Ibiza Rocks stage; whilst Pete Tong and Sasha are two of Ibiza’s principle summer DJs.
Perception of the Ibiza Music Scene
According to the conclusions drawn in the Ibiza Rocks Study, opinions are divided over whether or not the predominant music heard in Ibiza; ie dance music, is still as strong as it has been.
In fact, 45% of those questioned considered that the music heard on the island ‘is not relevant’ or ‘pioneering’ (22%). 23% believed that it is less relevant than in previous years, 34% thought that it was still relevant to their lives and only 5% decreed that dance music is in it’s best moment.
On the other end of the scale, 53% of the British Youth in question professed to ‘love’or ‘like’ Ibiza Rocks, with 32% of the same group without opinion and 16% of those were of the opinion that they ‘didn’t like’ or hated’ ‘it(10% and 6% accordingly).
Ibiza vs Ibiza Rocks
The study also showed that the image of Ibiza Rocks as a concept is stronger for the British youth market than the image of Ibiza in general. According to the results in the 60 page report, Ibiza Rocks is ‘more modern’, ‘ground-breaking’, ‘different’ and ‘relevant’.
77% thought that Ibiza Rocks was ‘buzzing’ against 62% who said the same about the island in general. Ibiza Rocks is ‘important’ for 67% of those surveyed whilst the same adjective was used to describe Ibiza by 43%.
‘In Vogue’ is how 77% of the youths in question saw Ibiza Rocks, whilst only 46% said the same about the music scene in general in Ibiza.
Musically again, the current dance music scene on offer in Ibiza is considered ‘over’ for 31%, however some 73% say that Ibiza Rocks is a ‘modern’ musical concept. Backing this up, 75% of the 1,005 youths who took part in the survey agreed that Ibiza Rocks is ‘a very good idea’ with a further 64% saying that they would recommend the concept to their friends and associates.
Ibiza Rocks: “An Adventure”
Andy McKay, Ibiza Rocks creator and promoter, had this to say; “It’s safe to say that the debate is over and Ibiza Rocks. When we launched, many people laughed at the idea of bringing live bands to Ibiza and it was hard to book the bands. The bands we booked a couple of years ago as relative unknowns are now returning to the island to headline as platinum selling No.1 artists. It’s an amazing feeling to be entering our fourth year and a proud moment to be launching 2008’s Ibiza Rocks with the upcoming opening of the Ibiza Rocks Hotel’.
According to the news blogs flying around this evening Serge Pizzorno let out to BBC Radio 6 Music that they are planning: “an enormous show in Ibiza this summer.
