Global Statistics - 2024
IBDP Music within the Global Context
Twice a year, the IB releases a range of statistics about the DP in the form of statistical bulletins. These documents contain assessment information more broadly as well as individual subjects. These pages offer you a summary of the statistics specifically in regards to music, namely the number of students who take the subject at both SL and HL, as well as the percentages awarded in each of the grade levels.
General Global Statistics in Music 2024
Some of the statistics for music are as follows:
(These figures have been extracted from the IB Statistical Bulletin for May and Nov 2024). If you wish to progress even further back, earlier statistical summaries are available to you as well. However, data produced before 2022 may be misleading as it relates to the previous course and not the latest curriculum that was first assessed (in a limited capacity) in May 2022.
May 2024 SL HL Total
Number of Students Taking IBDP Music: 1696 1373 3069
Nov 2024
Number of Students Taking IBDP Music: 141 260 401
Total for 2024: 1837 1633 3470
Total for 2023: 1797 1633 3430
Total for 2022: 1722 1800 3522
The total number this year has essentially remained steady (a slight increase of 1.1% from 2023) and only slightly lower than 2022 (approximately 1.5%). However, the trend of more standard-level students than higher-level students in the May 2024 assessment period and the reverse for the Nov 2024 period continues (prevalent in all the assessment periods thus far).
Students are awarded a Grade on a scale of 1 to 7 for each of their subjects, based on their total percentages for their internal and external assessment (no examinations are required for Group 6 subjects).
There are changes to how the percentages are converted for each subject in each assessment period. In other words, for one cohort 79% in music, for example, may be enough to be awarded grade "7", but in other years, it may only be enough for a grade "6".
There is an overview of the grade boundaries since May 2022 in IBDP Music to be found HERE.
Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash
In May 2024, the percentages of students receiving 0-3 points for the CORE (EE and TOK combined) are as follows:
| Session | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| M24 | 19.7% | 25.4% | 43.9% | 11.0% |
| M23 | 22.14% | 26.73% | 41.38% | 9.75% |
| M22 | 17.57% | 24.69% | 44.61% | 13.13% |
The drop in the number of candidates receiving either 2 or 3 points has been somewhat rectified in May 2024. Similarly, the number of candidates that were awarded zero points, moves back to May 2022 levels.
Nov 2024
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| N24 | 16.9% | 27.6% | 44.8% | 10.7% |
| N23 | 19.5% | 27.1% | 42.8% | 10.6% |
| N22 | 17.12% | 25.63% | 43.76% | 13.49% |
The percentage of the number of students receiving zero points has dropped to its lowest level since Nov 2022 and the number of students being awarded the FULL THREE points remains at Nov 2023 levels.
For an understanding of the CORE point matrix, see below, which indicates the bonus points awarded for the grades awarded in both TOK and the EE.
For more on this, you may visit Music & Theory of Knowledge (TOK).
Here is a summary of the number of students who selected the Arts for their Extended Essay in May 2024 compared with the May 2022 and May 2023 results, as well as totals globally for all subjects:
| Sessions | A | B | C | D | E | N | Total |
| M24: Arts | 852 | 1282 | 2360 | 1567 | 157 | 80 | 6298 |
| M23: Arts | 884 | 1322 | 2212 | 1565 | 164 | 58 | 6205 |
| M22: Arts | 1157 | 1385 | 2107 | 1076 | 93 | 100 | 5918 |
| M24: Arts % | 13.5 | 20.4 | 37.5 | 24.9 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 100% |
| M23: Arts % | 14.2 | 21.3 | 35.6 | 25.2 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 100% |
| M22: Arts % | 19.6 | 23.4 | 35.6 | 18.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 100% |
| M24 Global Totals | 10254 | 25107 | 39390 | 18946 | 1042 | 738 | 95477 |
| M23: Global Totals | 9305 | 22345 | 37256 | 20348 | 1208 | 685 | 91147 |
| M22: Global Totals | 12330 | 25219 | 34586 | 14867 | 571 | 978 | 88551 |
| M24 Global Totals % | 10.7 | 26.3 | 41.3 | 19.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 100% |
| M23: Global Totals % | 10.2 | 24.5 | 40.9 | 22.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 100% |
| M22: Global Totals % | 13.9 | 28.5 | 39.1 | 16.8 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 100% |
The number of As in the Arts in May 2024 continues its downward trajectory (from 19.6% to 14.2% to 13.5%), as does the number of Bs (from 23.4% to 21.3% to 20.4%). This contradicts the increase in the percentage of As (from 10.2% to 10.7%) and Bs (from 24.5% to 26.3%) in the global totals.
The top three most chosen subjects for the Extended Essay in May 2024 remain as they were for May 2023:
- English A
- History
- Business Management*
*Psychology, which was in 3rd position in May 2023 and May 2022, is now relegated to 4th.
The summary of the number of students who selected the Arts for their Extended Essay in Nov 2024 is as follows:
| Sessions | A | B | C | D | E | N | Total |
| N24 Arts | 195 | 238 | 350 | 105 | 7 | 4 | 899 |
| N23 Arts | 192 | 270 | 325 | 112 | 4 | 10 | 913 |
| N22 Arts | 215 | 215 | 242 | 80 | 3 | 9 | 764 |
| N24 Arts % | 21.7 | 26.5 | 38.9 | 11.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 100% |
| N23 Arts % | 21.0 | 29.6 | 35.6 | 12.3 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 100% |
| N22 Arts % | 28.1 | 28.1 | 31.7 | 10.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 100% |
| N24 Global Totals | 1959 | 4534 | 6078 | 1792 | 45 | 80 | 14488 |
| N23 Global Totals | 1751 | 4297 | 5629 | 1845 | 63 | 90 | 13675 |
| N22 Global Totals | 1893 | 4141 | 4791 | 1271 | 19 | 95 | 12210 |
| N24 Global Totals % | 13.5 | 31.3 | 42.0 | 12.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 100% |
| N23 Global Totals % | 12.8 | 31.4 | 41.2 | 13.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 100% |
| N22 Global Totals % | 15.5 | 33.9 | 39.2 | 10.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 100% |
The top three chosen subjects for the Extended Essay in Nov 2024 remain as they were in Nov 2023 AND in Nov 2022:
- History
- Spanish A
- English A
In May 2024, TOK grade distribution and percentage were as follows:
| Sessions | A | B | C | D | E | N | Total |
| M24 Number | 9386 | 34103 | 41770 | 10005 | 238 | 767 | 96269 |
| M23 Number | 7002 | 31447 | 42494 | 10097 | 190 | 631 | 91861 |
| M22 Number | 8116 | 31128 | 40094 | 8776 | 189 | 996 | 89299 |
| M24 % | 9.7 | 35.4 | 43.4 | 10.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 100% |
| M23 % | 7.6 | 34.2 | 46.3 | 11.0 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 100% |
| M22 % | 9.1 | 34.9 | 44.9 | 9.8 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 100% |
The statistics for Nov 2024 are as follows:
| Sessions | A | B | C | D | E | N | Total |
| N24 Number | 883 | 4955 | 7072 | 1342 | 12 | 88 | 14352 |
| N23 Number | 995 | 4475 | 6336 | 1682 | 16 | 70 | 13574 |
| N22 Number | 946 | 4130 | 5338 | 1605 | 33 | 69 | 12121 |
| N24 % | 6.2 | 34.5 | 49.3 | 9.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 100% |
| N23 % | 7.3 | 33.0 | 46.7 | 12.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 100% |
| N22 % | 7.8 | 34.1 | 44.0 | 13.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 100% |
The May 2024 statistics show an increase in the percentage of As and Bs awarded (9.7% and 35.4% respectively) in comparison to both the previous years, whereas for Nov 2024 the increase has occurred in the percentages for Bs and Cs (34.5% and 49.3% respectively).
A summary of the Music results for May 2024 is as follows, compared with the previous session (May 2023 and May 2022):
Whilst the mean grades for SL students in May 2022 and May 2023 remained fairly consistent (4.71 and 4.8 respectively), there was a significant drop in May 2024 (to 4.3). The mean grade for HL students in May 2024 (4.8) has returned to near May 2022 heights (5.04). There have been sharp falls in the number of 5-7s for the SL students in May 2024 essentially halving in the number of 6s and 7s. The number of 7s for both SL and HL students in May 2024 has been the lowest collectively since the new syllabus was implemented (only 9.3%).
Group 6 Statistics for Nov 2024
A summary of the Music results for Nov 2024 is as follows, compared with the previous session (Nov 2023 and Nov 2022):
Whilst the mean grade averages have remained more or less the same for the higher-level students, the trend for standard-level students has continued on its upward trajectory (4.33% → 4.4% → 4.6%) over the three year period. However, the percentage of N gradings for the standard-level students this past session is a concern (4.3%).
In the Nov 2023 period, it was remarked that there has been a significant decrease in the percentage of 7s awarded for higher-level students (16.4% as opposed to 24.8% in Nov 2022) and a significant increase in the number of 3s (5.6% in Nov 2023 in comparison with 2.8% in Nov 2022). In Nov 2024, this trend partially continues with further drops in the number of 6s and 7s awarded (now only 28.1% and 15.0% respectively), but the percentage of 3s awarded has decreased (4.2% in Nov 2024). For standard-level students, the percentage of 6s and 7s has increased significantly (now up to 16.3 and 9.2 respectively).
Based on the information that appears above, here is a summary of the number of students who manage to achieve a level 7:
May 2024 - Number of 7s
Higher Level students: 81 (5.9% of 1373)
Standard Level students: 58 (3.4% of 1696)
May 2023 - Number of 7s
Higher Level students: 65 (3.9% of 1665)
Standard Level students: 116 (8.3% of 1401)
May 2022 - Number of 7s
Higher Level students: 175 (11.1% of 1580)
Standard Level students: 97 (6% of 1615)
Nov 2024 - Number of 7s
Higher Level students: 39 (15.0% of 260)
Standard Level students: 13 (9.2% of 141)
Nov 2023 - Number of 7s
Higher Level students: 38 (16.4% of 232)
Standard Level students: 8 (6.1% of 132)
Nov 2022 - Number of 7s
Higher Level students: 49 (24.8% of 220)
Standard Level students: 6 (5.9% of 107)
For a list of the other subject reports for music, click HERE.
The Music Guide (First Assessment 2022) and accompanying materials (Music Teacher Support Materials) can be found on the site MyIB (click HERE, remember that you require a login and password, ordinarily given by your Diploma Level Coordinator)
The IB produces these documents and should form the basis of your decision-making in designing your course.
You can gain additional support from Global Music Concepts and/or the IBDP Music Teachers Worldwide.
Statistics in Other Subjects
These summaries have been extracted from the materials on MyIB, for a complete summary of ALL subjects visit HERE.