Home PCs Evolving Into Music Jukeboxes.

More than 40% of home Internet users in the U.S. have downloaded MP3 files onto their home computers, and they are storing an average of 305 music files on these “virtual jukeboxes,” according to Parks Associates’ latest study E-Home 2001. Younger consumers in particular are storing a vast amount of music on their home PCs. In a survey of 711 consumers in U.S. households with Internet access, Parks Associates found that 81% of respondents aged 18-24 have downloaded MP3 files onto home computers, storing on average approximately 350 clips, songs, and files. Although a lower percentage of consumers aged 25-34 has downloaded MP3 files onto home computers, they are currently storing – on average – twice as many files (more than 700)!

“Prior to this study, we assumed that a fair number of home Internet users of all ages were taking advantage of music-swapping services and CD-ripping software,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president of research for Parks Associates. “What we didn’t realize was the staggering amount of music files stored on home computers. The home computer – at least in certain segments – is quickly evolving into an important hub for entertainment content inside the home.”

Scherf said that these findings boost the home networking industry, which is seeking to establish itself beyond simple PC connectivity. “We have said for some time that entertainment applications that take advantage of the storage and streaming of multimedia content can bring home networking to a large segment of the U.S. population,” Scherf noted. “From these results, we might infer that networking applications that target the connectivity of home computers to other platforms in the house – such as stereos and televisions – might be of interest to a large segment of the U.S. home Internet population.”