In the city known by many as “cowtown” or the “Stampede City,” it is no secret that Calgary is crawling with country music fans. However, while country music used to be synonymous with small towns, bluegrass and an aging rural demographic, these conceptions have been greatly challenged by an evolving country music genre and listener. So who is today’s country music listener?
The success of your radio advertising campaign starts with understanding who your target audience is and where to find them. So let’s turn to Calgary’s number one country music radio station, Country 105, to delve into the core of Calgary’s country demographic.
The average listener of Country 105 is 41 years of age, with 47% of its audience between the ages of 25 and 49. 68% percent of listeners value family and 58% are married or common law. Furthermore, 149,000 Country 105 listeners spent $56.9 million on clothing and $21.7 million on online shopping. Young, family-driven, and affluent— this is Calgary’s country fan.
By no means is this trend exclusive to Calgary. According to Billboard, a report conducted by the Country Music Association revealed that 42% of a total 37 million American country music fans have a household income of over $75,000, with 96% owning a cell phone and 89% on Facebook. The country music listener is no longer confined to the rural stereotype, but can be the city dweller working in investment banking, the mother driving her kids to school, or the university student following the top 40 country hits.
This is good news for businesses interested in radio advertising in Calgary. With country music fans more digitally engaged, consumer and community driven, radio ads can effectively target this expanding and diversified market. As Molly Jaggers from Cox Media Group stated (link), this new kind of country is extending its reach to much bigger and better audience. The country music listener covers a lot of ground — this is the power of advertising on country music radio.
