Over-the-air radio is holding its own, but podcasts and streaming services are persistent competitors. That’s one conclusion that can be drawn from a recent study released by Edison Research.
According to Edison Research’s Q1 2018 Share of Ear data, AM/FM radio accounted for 47% of all audio time spent among persons aged 18 and older — what the firm calls “the centerpiece of audio.” The research showed that this is followed by owned music at 12%, then YouTube music videos at 9% and ad-free music channels on Sirius XM at 5%; all of these listening methods/platforms are not ad supported. However, listening via ad-supported Pandora accounted for 4% of listening.
Edison also said that AM/FM’s reach has remained relatively stable, although at 72% in Q1 2018, reach has decreased 2% from Q1 2016.
Also, Pandora’s share of ear in Q1 2018 is 5.3%, but in Q1 2016 it was 6.4% — a 17% decrease over the two-year period. The streamer’s daily reach among persons 13+ also declined from 15.2% to 12.9%, down 5%.
On the other hand, Spotify is on the upswing in this category. In Q1 2018, Spotify holds 4.1% share of ear, compared to 3% two years ago. That’s an increase of 36%. Over that same time period, the platform’s reach is up 43%, from 7.0% to 10.0%.
The news is also good for podcasts. From 2016 to 2018, podcasts’ daily reach among persons aged 18-34 (AKA Millennials) jumped from 10.9% to 15.2% — up 39%. The numbers were also positive for the 25-54 demographic: from 6.4% to 9.7%, an increase of 52%.
