Fatal car crashes increase on major music release days, research finds

There is an increase in fatal car crashes on days when a major album has dropped, according to research from Harvard Medical School.

Published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the study compared Spotify streaming data and reports of deadly auto collisions against days when the 10 most-streamed albums and singles were released between 2017 and 2022.

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The data shared as part of the Smartphones, Online Music Streaming, and Traffic Fatalities study revealed that fatal road accidents increased by 15% on those days, with around 182 more fatalities compared to the US national average during that period.

The study also found that increased fatalities on days with a surge in online music streaming were more pronounced in single-occupant vehicles, "suggesting the possibility that a passenger may potentially reduce driver distraction related to streaming music use, ie: helping to manage streaming devices." 

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While the paper points to the fact that big releases often drop on a Friday, which is also a day of the week where people tend to socialise more, findings revealed that “fatalities remained elevated on album release Fridays compared with the Fridays before and after."

Though smartphone usage was found to rise by 40% on major album release days in the US, the report found that collisions were still more likely to occur when drivers are distracted by attempting to use streaming services via voice control.

The report recommends that vehicle manufacturers investigate the link between music streaming and fatal collisions to improve driver safety. 

You can read the full study here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on X