Piano app data shows spring starters far outpace January learners in 6-month retention

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An analysis of data from over 1.1 million learners on Skoove, an online piano platform, found that the month a person begins learning strongly predicts whether they continue six months later. The dataset, covering 2021 to 2024, shows that December and January sign-ups had the worst six-month retention, sitting 28% and 21% below the average respectively. By contrast, learners who started in spring months like May, April, and June retained at rates up to 23% above average. The gap between the resolution window and the spring window amounts to roughly 44 percentage points in six-month retention. Researchers suggest resolution-season starters may be motivated by calendar pressure rather than genuine interest, though the dataset does not directly capture reasons for quitting.

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