Fifty-nine percent of people have filled their lives with more music than ever in the past year

Americans are still crazy for Whitney Houston: three in 10 would've loved to see the songstress' live rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV, according to new research. A study polled 2,000 people across the U.S, U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, India, and South Korea about iconic music moments they would have liked to see in person. Among the top five that Americans rank high was Elton John's performance of "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral (31%), The Beatles' rooftop concert (28%) and The Rolling Stones' jam session in Hyde Park (28%). Three in five said they remember every second of the first live concert they ever attended, and 56% remember how happy they felt. So it's no surprise attending a concert or festival is the number one activity Americans want to resume when COVID-19 restrictions ease (58% of respondents). Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of JBL, the study also put an ear to the evolution of people's listening habits throughout their lives. One in five were raised on hip-hop, pop and rock, but the teen years played a pivotal role in cementing rock as a lifelong favorite. That might be why three in five have had the same favorite music artist for the past decade. Yet recent years have had an influence on people's playlists, with two-thirds saying their musical taste has changed significantly over time. There's a new favorite in the pandemic era, as three in 10 named Lady Gaga's One World: Together at Home concert as their top live-streamed performance during lockdown. One in five said Bruno Mars is their preferred music artist of 2021 thus far, followed closely by Justin Bieber (20%) and The Weeknd (20%). Fifty-nine percent have filled their lives with more music than ever in the past year, with half (48%) creating a special playlist for a friend or loved one. "Music can be the fuel for our internal time machines," said a JBL spokesperson. "Interestingly, seven in 10 respondents said they felt transported to a specific time when listening to older music." When asked about the biggest influences on their musical tastes, Americans said friends (32%), music TV channels (28%) and their parents (27%) played the biggest roles. Over half of respondents hope to relive memorable moments from their childhood with their own kids one day, with two-thirds hoping to pass down their taste in music. And while the power of song brings families together, more than two-thirds (67%) said discovering international music artists can be a stepping stone toward appreciating other cultures. "Music can be a universal language that connects people whose differences might otherwise prevent them from understanding each other," the spokesperson added. "The very act of listening together creates a shared experience that can be therapeutic for all involved."