The pie charts compare the percentage of children under 18 learning musical instruments in one region of the UK in 1996 and 2016, while the bar chart illustrates their choice of musical instruments in the same years.
Overall, the proportion of children learning a musical instrument significantly increased from 44% in 1996 to 76% in 2016.
The bar chart reveals that the piano remained the most popular instrument, with about 30% of children playing it in both years, and a slight increase observed in 2016. The number of children learning multiple instruments also rose, from around 12% in 1996 to 15% in 2016. Similarly, the electric guitar saw a modest rise in popularity between the two years.
On the other hand, fewer children opted for instruments such as the violin and keyboard in 2016 compared to 1996. The violin’s popularity declined significantly, while the keyboard experienced a smaller drop. Acoustic guitar, although less popular overall, maintained a relatively low level of preference in both years.