National Rail Encourages Commuters to Shake Up Their Playlists With Live Gig Series

• The rail industry kicked off a series of surprise live gigs across Britain on Wednesday 29 January 2025, with the first at London Paddington station to inspire commuters to discover new artists and bring the joy of live music to their journeys

• New research reveals three quarters of Brits listen to the same music on repeat on their commute, though 57% long for more opportunities to discover up-and-coming talent

• National Rail has partnered with Sofar Sounds to offer rail passengers a 30% discount until 28 February 2025, giving commuters a unique opportunity to discover new music and make the most of travelling to work by train

We’re a nation of music-lovers, with a staggering 98% of Brits using their commute to immerse themselves in tunes on their journeys to and from work. However, new research from the rail industry has revealed the country is stuck on replay, with three quarters listening to the same tunes on repeat during their commute, despite more than half (57%) wanting more opportunities to discover new up-and-coming talent.

One in 3 (31%) of those surveyed by National Rail admit they rely on listening to music on their commute to wake them up, with a further 30% turning to tunes to get them ready for the day ahead and improve their mental health (26%).

However, 1 in 4 (25%) confess they NEVER listen to new artists on their commute, finding the tunes they know nostalgic (19%) and comforting (33%). Whilst pop, rock and hip hop are the most popular genres to enjoy on the way to work, other rich music genres are hugely under-discovered by commuters: just 7% of respondents would listen to folk, while blues (8%), jazz (9%) and grime (5%) are some of the most underappreciated.

Half the nation (48%) also admit they haven’t been to a live gig in the past 12 months. So, in a move to bring the joy and well-being benefits of live music to commuters and provide them with a unique opportunity to discover new and upcoming musical talent, National Rail has announced a series of free, surprise live gigs at train stations across Britain.

The first surprise live gig took place yesterday at London Paddington Station, where commuters were treated to a live performance from rising star and jazz and neo-soul inspired North London artist Ashaine White.

Dr Michael Bonshor, Programme Director, MA Music Psychology in Education, Performance and Wellbeing at the University of Sheffield, explains how music can enhance your train commute and the health and wellbeing benefits of exploring new genres:

“Listening to familiar music on the train is often enjoyable because it can create pleasurable feelings of relaxation and nostalgia. We associate past experiences with particular songs, so we choose tracks that we know will be uplifting, relaxing or help us prepare for our working day. Through our regular listening habits, we learn which music will help us to create our desired mood, so we choose that music more often.

“But if we are too familiar with the music, it might become boring and less immersive. At this point, we could explore other music to stimulate our interest, and to develop some new ‘favourites’ to help us continue being able to benefit from ‘getting in the zone’ on our train commute.”

Jacqueline Starr, CEO of Rail Delivery Group, commented: “Our research shows that music is a favourite way for many of our customers to pass the time on their journey, whether it's to energise them on the way to work or help them relax on the way home. To celebrate 2025 marking 200 years since the birth of the modern railway we’re making it easier for commuters to discover new music for their commuter playlists, and the health and wellbeing benefits that comes with listening to a variety of music on your train commute.”

To give commuters the opportunity to experience more live music and discover new and upcoming musical talent to add to their playlists, National Rail has partnered with global music organisation Sofar Sounds to give passengers a 30% discount on Sofar Sounds shows until Friday 28 February 2025.

Karoline Komolafe, executive director of experiences at Sofar Sounds, commented: “Music is a huge part of people’s lives – especially their journeys to and from work. Train stations in particular have a meaningful place in the music world, and many artists have started their careers busking in stations. Having a dedicated platform like the gig series National Rail is launching is not only a great way to help them get noticed, but also an opportunity for commuters to discover new sounds. We hope many will choose to experience live music events with friends, colleagues, and family after work this month.”

Nothing beats discovering new music for your train commute. To learn about the benefits of listening to different types of music on your train commute and to discover new musical talent for your commuter playlist, nothing beats being there. Visit nationalrail.co.uk/topofthetracks for more information.