Playing an instrument doesn’t seem like a particularly common skill as an adult. As children, a lot of us will have played an instrument at some point at school, but many of those give this up as they get older. So what percentage of people in the UK actually play an instrument and which of them are the most commonly played?
The percentage of people in the UK adult population that play a musical instrument gets lower with age. For people aged 16-24, around 13% of people currently play an instrument, while only around 6% of over 75 year olds play. The most commonly played musical instruments are the piano and the guitar.
There are plenty of different stats to consider when you’re thinking about how many people play a musical instrument. Some of these are difficult to determine, as it’s difficult to ask every person whether they play an instrument and which one. It’s also difficult because there’s debate over what standard someone needs to be to be classed as a player. Some studies, for example, will treat anyone who has ever played anything on the piano as a pianist, whereas others will only count people above a certain standard.
However, there is some data available and I’ve got hold of what I can and collated it all here. I’ll look into:
- The most popular instrument
- What percentage of children play an instrument
- What percentage of adults play an instrument
- How the number of people who play instruments differ around the world
What is the most popular musical instrument?
When you’re thinking about what the popular musical instrument to play is, you also need to consider where in the world you’re thinking about. Different countries will favour different instruments. Thinking in terms of the world as a whole, it’s not certain what the most popular musical instrument is, but most people seem to agree that it’s either the piano or the guitar.
This seems to be a reasonable assumption, as these two instruments are some of the most widely played around the world. It’s disputed which of the two is actually the most common and it’s hard to determine, but these are most likely the two most popular. They’re also some of the most well-known instruments, which might explain why people choose to play them. The piano in particular is still something that might be passed on in families and kept in a family house so it is easier to access.
It’s also the case that a lot of musicians play the piano as a second instrument. Most instrumental teachers will have a basic knowledge of how to play the piano, so that they can accompany their students. They are then included with the count of people that play the piano, although they play other instruments as well, meaning that the piano is likely to have a higher number of players for this reason.
The guitar has always been a really popular instrument. A lot of primary schools in the UK teach children the guitar as standard from a young age, meaning that all of their pupils will then be included as guitar players. A lot of people also take up the guitar at secondary school, usually playing a popular style of musical rather than classical. A lot of guitarists start with the intention of joining a band, whereas the piano is more of a solo instrument.
What percentage of children play an instrument?
In the UK, it’s very common for primary schools to make playing a musical instrument compulsory, and part of the curriculum. This instrument is often a recorder, a ukulele or a guitar. Because of this encouragement by schools, about 85% of children will play an instrument while at school. ABRSM quotes that 69% of children currently play an instrument while a further 16% used to play (https://gb.abrsm.org/en/making-music/4-the-statistics/#:~:text=An%20encouraging%2085%25%20of%20children,fewer%20than%20half%20of%20adults).
The number of children that have instrumental lessons is also quite high. It’s estimated that around 62% of school children have or have had instrumental lessons. The majority of these will be lessons provided by the school, although many children also have private music lessons. This doesn’t take into account the length of time the child plays the instrument for, however, just whether or not they have had lessons at some point.
What percentage of adults play an instrument?
Determining the percentage of adults that play a musical instrument is more difficult. Schools provide an easy way of finding out who plays an instrument and who doesn’t, but with adults it’s more difficult. A lot of adults might just play at home or in private and then are likely to be missed in the count, as it might not be well-known that they play. However, ABRSM estimates that around 34% of adults currently play an instrument.
If we think about the number of adults that have played a musical instrument at some point in their lives, the number is a lot higher. Currently, it’s estimated that 74% of adults have played an instrument in their lifetime. As 85% of children play or have played an instrument, it appears that this number is growing over time.
How does the number of people that play musical instruments differ around the world?
Unsurprisingly, the percentage of people that play musical instruments in different countries is very dependent on the wealth of the country. Western countries such as the UK and USA have some of the highest percentages of instrumentalists, as well as China and Japan. Australia and western Europe also have a high percentage of instrumentalists.
In less well-developed countries, it’s very difficult for people to afford musical instruments. It’s not common in schools for children to play instruments and it’s really only the richest families that can afford to pay for instrumental lessons. The instruments in these poorer countries may also be of worse quality, making progress on the instrument more difficult.
The number of people that currently play a musical instrument decreases with age. Throughout the world, it’s estimated that 13% of adults between the ages of 16 and 24 play a musical instrument. This decreases gradually, and for over 75 year olds, the number is estimated to be just 6%.
Summary
To sum up this post, a large number of children in the UK (around 85%) play or have played a musical instrument. This number is increasing, as currently only 74% of adults claim to play or have played. The number of people that currently play decreases with age down to just 6% of over 75 year olds. Wealthier countries have a higher percentage of musicians, as more people are able to buy good quality instruments and have lessons on them.