Pop to the shops: drivers love listening to pop music more than any other genre, survey finds

A new study*, published today by Go.Compare has uncovered the nation’s top driving tunes and their potential impact on road safety.

In a survey including over 1,000 motorists, conducted by Go.Compare car insurance, upbeat pop music emerged as the UK’s favourite driving soundtrack, with 11% of respondents who drive choosing it as their top genre when they hit the road. Rock music closely followed in second place, also taking 11% of the votes, while hip hop, country and reggae music featured in the list of top music preferences as well.

Key findings from the survey included:

• Upbeat pop music is the most preferred driving music overall (11%)
• Rock music shares the first spot with pop, also at 11%
• Hip hop came in third overall but when it came to the gender breakdown, the survey found that 17% of men liked to listen to this genre, making it the top choice for male drivers surveyed – compared with just 4% of women.
• Men also showed a greater preference for country music than their female counterparts – with 11% of men saying they liked a bit of country, compared with 7% of females.
• Women predominantly favoured upbeat pop overall, but a further 16% said they have no preference for the type of music they listen to at all. 

Previous research has found that the type of music played while driving can significantly affect driver behaviour. A 2022 study from Coventry and Brunel University** found that it’s best to listen to slower music if you’re driving in challenging environments or situations. 

The study found that fast, loud, and rhythmic music can lead to mental overload and more risky behaviour on the road. After monitoring how driving behaviour changes with different types of music playing, it concluded that drivers should be cautious using up-tempo music in urban settings and instead consider playing music with a tempo range between 100 – 130 beats per minute (bpm). It was found that this will help optimise a driver’s mental state when driving in stressful urban environments and help them to drive safely.

Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go.Compare, commented: “The research shows that music is an integral part of the driving experience for many – with just 7% of respondents saying they prefer not to listen to music at all. While it’s great to enjoy your favourite tunes on the road, it’s essential to be aware of how certain genres or tempos can potentially influence your driving behaviour. Recognising these effects can help drivers make safer choices and potentially reduce the risk of accidents.”

Go.Compare has compiled a list of tips for driving safely this summer, which can be found here: https://www.gocompare.com/motoring/guides/summer-driving-tips/.