Although many people associate classic rock with the Nixon period or big hair, the genre is far from out of style. With a growing fan base, classic rock has actually emerged as one of the most popular music genres of the last 25 years. Younger listeners, such as Millennials, have recently demonstrated an increasing interest in the genre, casting doubt on the notion that they primarily listen to mainstream artists like Bieber and Beyoncé. From Millennials to Baby Boomers, classic rock is still popular on a variety of platforms, gadgets, and live performances. Explore the current classic rock scene and its varied audience by reading on.

Facts & Statistics About Classic Rock You May Not Know

1. Nearly half (49%) of individuals in the 25–34 age range also cite classic rock as their preferred genre, making it the most popular genre among those aged 35–65+. (Statistica)
2. The average income for Millennials is $65,373, Gen Xers make $95,168, and Baby Boomers make $79,736. (eMarketer)
3. Classic rock fans over 50 spend $3.2 trillion a year, which is more than the GDP of nations like France, Italy, Russia, the UK, and Brazil combined. (Huffington Post data from the U.S. Census)
4. During surgeries, nearly half (49%) of surgeons play rock music, primarily classic rock, with classical (43%), jazz (24%), and R&B (21%), following closely behind. (Spotify)
5. 44% of Americans agree that movie trailers frequently or occasionally encourage them to watch films, demonstrating the widespread appeal of classic rock. Twenty-four percent of people aged 18 to 34 say they frequently visit trailers. (Media Jacobs)
6. With 34.6% of all album sales in 2017, classic rock surpassed R&B/hip hop, which came in second at 14.6%. (Nielsen)
7. The appeal of classic rock is still growing; in 2017, its listener share increased by 8%. (Nielsen)
8. There is a lot of nostalgia. For the 12th year in a row, vinyl sales increased by 9% in 2017, thanks to rock albums like The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. (Nielsen)
9. In 2017, the Beatles became the third most-streamed rock band with over 1.6 million streams of their songs. (Nielsen)
10. With U2 scheduled for Bonnaroo this June and Guns N’ Roses leading Coachella, aging rock musicians continue to be the main attraction at big festivals. (The Wall Street Journal)
11. With an average age of 73, the Rolling Stones made the highest earnings per show in 2016 with just 14 shows, totaling $91 million. (The Wall Street Journal)
12. At the age of 67, Bruce Springsteen outperformed Beyoncé and Justin Bieber in terms of concert ticket sales in 2016, bringing in $268 million. (The Wall Street Journal)
13. Tickets for vintage acts are more expensive: The Rolling Stones demand $122, while Twenty One Pilots just $36. (The Wall Street Journal)
14. Legendary rock stars like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, The Who, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Roger Waters performed at the Desert Trip festival last year, which brought in over $160 million. (The Wall Street Journal)
15. On Instagram, the hashtag #classicrock has been used more than a million times. (Instagram)