If you 're in your early 40s , own a flash car and have started listening to Taylor Swift and One Direction , you are likely to be having a midlife crisis . Streaming music service Spotify believes it has identified the average age of midlife crises at 42 . Staff analysed data and found users aged around 42 drop their usual playlists – which usually contain hits from their youth – in favour of today 's chart toppers from the likes of Rihanna and Sam Smith . Streaming music service Spotify believes it has identified the average age of midlife crises at 42 ( file picture ) Spotify and its rivals in the streaming music world are working hard to understand the tastes of their listeners , so they can make better recommendations for them ( file picture ) 'During the teenage years , we embrace music at the top of the charts more than at any other time in our lives . As we grow older , our taste in music diverges sharply from the mainstream up to age 25 , and a bit less sharply after that , ' explained the company on its Insights blog . 'We 're starting to listen to `` our '' music , not `` the '' music . Music taste reaches maturity at age 35 . 'Around age 42 , music taste briefly curves back to the popular charts — a musical midlife crisis and attempt to harken back to our youth , perhaps ? ' The findings come from a study conducted by Ajay Kalia , who oversees Spotify 's 'taste profiles ' product , which tries to understand people 's tastes based on their listening habits . Spotify and its rivals in the streaming music world are working hard to understand the tastes of their listeners , so they can make better recommendations for them .
Spotify believes it has identified the average age of midlife crises at 42 . Staff analysed data and found users aged 42 drop their usual playlists . Start listening to 42 's chart toppers , such as Rihanna and Sam Smith .