Is guitar still a relevant instrument in modern music? With so many headlines proclaiming rock is dead or guitar sales declining, you may wonder if guitar playing itself is falling out of fashion.
By digging into data on guitar trends, we can better understand the current landscape and project the future trajectory. In this comprehensive analysis, we’ll slice guitar statistics to reveal where the instrument stands in 2022.
Analyzing Guitar Sales Numbers
First let’s examine the hard sales data, which paints a murky picture. According to industry reports, guitar sales have decreased consistently for over a decade. Total US guitar sales dropped over 50% from 1.5 million units yearly in the 2000s down to around 600,000 as of 2020.
However, the past few years showed a leveling off of declines, and 2021 even saw a slight uptick likely driven by pandemic factors. But regardless, the market has gotten undeniably smaller since its peak.
That said, a half million guitars a year is still a huge market valued at $2 billion annually in the US alone as of 2020. While the glory days have passed, hundreds of thousands of new players still pick up the instrument every year. We’ll explore exactly who these guitarists are next.
Demographic Breakdown of Guitar Players
Which segments of the population account for the most ongoing guitar interest? Various surveys reveal key demographic insights:
- Gender – Around 90% of guitar players are male according to multiple polls. However, female players have grown from only 5% to 9% over the past decade.
- Age – The 18-34 demographic makes up the largest share of active guitarists at over 40% combined. Baby boomers still play but exert less sales influence.
- Region – Southern US states like Tennessee and Texas boast the most guitar players per capita currently.
So guitar playing remains a pursuit dominated by young men concentrated in America’s Southern regions. Still, diversity is increasing with more women and older generations staying active.
Is Online Guitar Interest Growing or Declining?
Another proxy for guitar popularity is online behavior trends. Google search volume indicates people seek out guitar-related topics online 50% more over the past 5 years. Views of guitar content on YouTube have risen sharply this decade as well.
While not perfect correlations to activity, these signals suggest latent interest in the instrument persists and may be converting to sales. Learning guitar remains a top digital hobby.
Searches for lessons in particular have skyrocketed. With better online education options, learning guitar is actually more accessible than ever despite industry sales dropping.
The State of Guitar in Popular Music Genres
We know rock and metal lean heavily on guitar as historically “guitar-driven” genres. Analyzing music consumption data paints a broader picture of guitar dominance across the following popular styles:
- Rock – Still thriving with major bands like Greta Van Fleet, The Black Keys, and Cage the Elephant hitting #1 albums and sellout tours.
- Metal – Both traditional and melodic death metal groups grew streaming numbers over 30% in 2021.
- Pop Punk – Revival led by Machine Gun Kelly and Olivia Rodrigo album chart success.
- Indie – Continues to use guitar in bands like Bon Iver, Khruangbin, and Beach House.
- Blues – Legends like Buddy Guy and fresh faces like Christone “Kingfish” Ingram prove this style persists.
While guitar-based music no longer dominates like the 1960s-1990s, the instrument clearly maintains relevance in rock, metal, and other popular styles.
The Rise of Guitar Learning Apps and Online Lessons
Real-world guitar sales only tell part of the story. We must also consider the massive growth in learning platforms:
- Total online and app-based guitar lessons exceeded $700 million in revenue in 2021, up over 300% since 2010.
- Popular apps report adding up to 5 million new users during 2020 alone.
- 75% of surveyed guitar teachers now offer remote online lessons compared to just 35% pre-pandemic.
Not only are existing players engaging more with digital learning, but these methods also lower barriers to entry allowing more beginners to pick up a guitar. Accessibility improvements counteract broader industry declines.
Pandemic Impacts: How COVID Affected Guitar Playing
The pandemic unsurprisingly influenced guitar playing trends significantly:
- Total beginners nearly doubled at guitar stores in 2020 as people pursued hobbies stuck at home.
- Sales of budget models under $500 grew 33% 2020-2021 suggesting more entry-level buyers.
- Acoustic guitar sales in particular saw massive pandemic growth, up 44% over 2019.
- On the flip side, expensive guitars over $1500 were purchased less often.
- With live concerts halted, more intermediate players took online lessons according to survey data.
In summary, COVID stoked beginner and budget guitar buying but dampened sales of high-end instruments. Existing players seem to have doubled down on practice. The pandemic’s isolation proved both detrimental and beneficial to the guitar market depending on the segment. But overall engagement increased.
What Does the Future Hold for Guitars?
Given recent trends, experts anticipate a few scenarios going forward:
- Continued sales decline but with soft landing at 300-400k units yearly, a smaller but stable market.
- Demographics changing to younger and more diverse players.
- Strong revival likelihood based on cyclical music industry trends.
- Labels investing more in emerging guitar-driven genres and artists that resonate.
- Female players are projected to potentially rise to 15-20% driven by media visibility.
- Learning apps and hybrid lessons will facilitate more beginners trying guitar through accessibility.
Predicting the future is obviously speculative. But based on ample data, guitars remain far from extinct even given their diminished role. The next generation may forge a new golden era if conditions align.
FAQ About Guitar Playing Popularity
Has guitar playing been rising or falling over the past 10 years overall?
The data shows guitar playing has gradually declined in popularity by most metrics – sales have halved and fewer guitar-driven songs dominate charts. However, pockets of resilience and growth exist if you look closely.
What age demographic is playing guitar the most right now?
According to surveys, those 18-34 years old account for over 40% of active guitar players. However, younger teenagers are also picking up the instrument in sizable numbers recently.
What genre of music is guitar most popular and present in today?
Rock, metal, blues and related genres still utilize guitar most prevalently among mainstream formats. Indie and folk also incorporate a lot of guitar playing. Guitar maintains a strong niche presence despite ceding pop dominance decades ago.
The Guitar Remains Relevant
In conclusion, rumors of the guitar’s demise are exaggerated but not without basis given sales declines. Still, tens of millions of fans clearly continue bonding with their instruments even in a changed musical landscape.
With genre cycles ever-turning and demographics shifting, the next wave could again propel guitar playing to new heights. For now, take comfort in knowing there are still countless peers learning, practicing, collecting, and performing this beloved instrument worldwide.
The guitar may no longer dominate pop culture as ubiquitously as in past eras. But data and passionate fan bases demonstrate its timeless appeal persists, ready to inspire future generations. Let’s keep playing on!
