Brits Inspired to Play Pianos After Elton John’s Glastonbury Set
‘Elton John effect’ sees a 133 per cent surge in sales for Casio’s pianos and keyboards*
Enquiries for pianos and keyboards on the Casio website increased by over two-thirds
20 per cent uplift in ‘pianos/keyboards for beginners’ related Google searches
London, UK, July 2023: Casio, one of the world’s most renowned producers of affordable electronic keyboards and digital pianos, has reported a surge in sales for its keyboard and piano ranges following Sir Elton John’s record-breaking headline show at Glastonbury on Sunday, June 25. This has led to an “Elton John effect” on piano and keyboard purchases, as Brits have been inspired to take up piano playing following Elton’s epic show.
Sales of Casio keyboards and pianos more than doubled, with a 133% surge in the week after the festival (June 26-July 3) compared to the same period last year. Casio Music UK’s website also saw a spike in traffic following Glastonbury, up more than two-thirds (78%) from the same period the previous year. Following the festival, there was a 20% uplift in Google searches for “pianos/keyboards for beginners” — Brits taking inspiration from the piano-playing legend’s farewell UK performance.
This year’s Glastonbury broke previous records for viewing and listening figures, with Elton’s iconic set on the Pyramid Stage the most viewed of them all. The crowd for Elton at Worthy Farm was reported to be the largest for any performance at the festival while viewing figures across BBC One and iPlayer revealed the remarkable set received the biggest-ever overnight audience for a Glastonbury appearance.
A record-breaking 7.6 million Brits tuned in to bid farewell to the legend, with an extra 4.3 million online, as he took to the piano one last time in the UK and closed the curtain on his long and illustrious career. The world-famous rock star wowed viewers with piano-led ballads including “Your Song,” “Candle in the Wind,” “I’m Still Standing,” and “Rocket Man.”
In the following week, Brits flocked to Casio’s website, where they explored an eclectic range of pianos and keyboards for both beginners and professionals of all budgets. Casio’s website saw a spike in sales across a range of its products but with exceptional interest in its “Home Learning Bundle” packages, where buyers receive headphones, a stand, and online lessons with their purchase — which accounted for almost a quarter of all sales.
The “Elton John effect” continues the trend marking the comeback of the piano, as the country has been inspired to take to the keys following popular programs such as Channel 4’s “The Piano,” which aired in February earlier this year, as well as the prominence of street pianos and the rise in TikTok and YouTube tutorials.
Head of EMI at Casio, Neil Evans, said: “To see an icon such as Sir Elton play out his final ever UK performance at Glastonbury was a special moment, yet to see how many people tuned in and have been inspired to play the piano is even more remarkable. Sir Elton is a piano-playing legend and off the back of his performance, we’ve seen increased interest in a range of our pianos and keyboards, especially for beginners. Who knows, his Glastonbury show may have just inspired a new generation of Sir Elton Johns.”
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