Study: New Music Discovery Stops at Age 33

Nowadays, 30 is the new 20. But in the music world, once you hit age 33, it's all over—time to pack-up those earbuds and go home.

That's according to an informal online study that compiled data from U.S. Spotify users and The Echo Nest, a music data and intelligence firm. After analyzing playlists and listening data, the study found that people stop discovering new music at age 33. Discovering Pearl Jam at 35-years-old or falling in love with some James Taylor tracks doesn't count—this study is focusing on new music you'd currently find on the Billboard charts.

“Two factors drive this transition away from popular music. First, listeners discover less-familiar music genres that they didn’t hear on FM radio as early teens, from artists with a lower popularity rank. Second, listeners are returning to the music that was popular when they were coming of age—but which has since phased out of popularity,” the study says.

So what's the key Takeaway? "For the average listener, by their mid-30s, their tastes have matured, and they are who they’re going to be," the study argues.

Does age really impact the amount of new music people listen to? We're not so sure, so we put that question to our listeners, and we're putting it to you: Tell us about the new music you discovered after you turned 33.