GfK has identified a drastic increase in console use in Germany of more than one million users within one year for 2022. Even though #smartphones are still the preferred platform for #gaming and #musicstreaming, consoles are becoming increasingly important as a gaming and streaming platform.

Especially while gaming, more and more users are opting to listen to content from e.g. Spotify via the console.

Just in time for gamescom, Spotify took a look at the #streaming trends of the gaming community: Which artists, genres and tracks are particularly popular while playing games? What role does video game music play and when do gamers prefer to listen to audio content?

What’s going on in Germany?

Germany ranks 5th worldwide in the total number of music content streamed by console gamers, which corresponds to 1.7 per cent of all music streams in Germany. GfK estimates the number of active console users in Germany at 18.9 million. More than half of the streaming users are under 25 years old.

Most popular genres, artists and tracks:

When playing games, gamers mainly listen to hip-hop music, especially German rap. The top 10 most-streamed artists during gaming sessions is dominated by German-speaking rappers. First and foremost Bonez MC, followed by Luciano and RAF Camora. But it is not only German rap that enjoys great popularity; English-speaking rap artists such as Travis Scott and Eminem are also popular.

When immersing oneself in virtual worlds and adventures, suitable music is obviously indispensable. The streaming of video game soundtracks has increased greatly on consoles. Our playlist “Sounds of Gaming”, which is part of our own mixtape series on Spotify and which we have linked below, shows this impressively. Since 2019, the number of daily streams of soundtracks and game music has increased by a whopping 98 per cent.

The popularity of video game music has also seen interest in gaming podcasts grow. Since 2019, the number of daily streams of gaming podcasts has increased by an impressive 263 per cent. Over the same period, the listenership of gaming podcasts has increased by 186 per cent.

Further insights into gamers’ streaming behaviour:

Spotify also looked at when video game music is streamed most often. It is surprising that console gamers listen to video game music the most between 1pm and 5pm, in the middle of the day. Unsurprisingly, video game music becomes more popular in autumn, especially from September to November, when temperatures drop and days get shorter.

Spotify is improving the overall immersive experience and really stepping on the gas in gaming:

Most recently, Spotify has extended its partnership with ESL Gaming and expanded its collaboration with e-sports team G2 since 2022. The deepening of these partnerships emphasises the importance of e-sports to youth culture and the close connection between gaming, music and podcasts. Spotify, in collaboration with partners such as ESL Gaming and G2, celebrates gaming phenomena and culture and intensifies the shared experience for gamers.

And us?

Anyone who follows our #content regularly knows that #gaming is an important topic for almost our entire team. Whether on the gaming PC, on the sofa, with PlayStation, Xbox or Switch controllers or super retro via emulator on the Mac – we have it all.

For some of us, classic game soundtracks and songs by artists such as Chris Huelsbeck were part of “growing up” in front of the computer. Current releases no longer have to hide behind mainstream music. That’s why it’s exciting to see that the interest and desire for cool background music for one’s own game has increased so much.

Ranieri Agency Germany agency mixtapes

Source: Spotify, GfK, Social Things