When The Infinite Dial’s P1 survey respondents were quizzed about which audio brands they listened to the most, their use of YouTube for music, and whether they subscribed to SiriusXM satellite radio, most of the results varied considerably by their chosen radio format, as expected.
When asked which radio format P1s over-index (index higher than the total online population) in using audio brands over the past month, Spotify was named by listeners of sports, alternative rock, hip-hop/rap, top 40, R&B and hard rock/heavy metal. Those who prefer to listen to hip-hop/rap, top 40, alternative rock, R&B, contemporary Christian and news/talk also prefer iTunes.
The research suggests that Pandora has a clear lead in most groups, when respondents were asked to name the audio brand they used most often, although Spotify is number one with listeners of hip-hop/rap, top 40 and sports. iHeartRadio is a strong second for those who prefer classic rock, alternative rock and classic hits. Trailing in most groups are Amazon Music and Google Play, although Amazon Music takes second place among listeners of hard rock/heavy metal.
[Read: Infinite Dial Research Suggests a Variety of Topics Attract Podcast Listeners]
When asked about their weekly use of YouTube for music, the research said R&B listeners are in the lead with 57%. Classic rock adherents hold the middle ground with 43%, while classic hits fans bring up the rear with 25%.
Since its inception, satellite radio, now in the form of SiriusXM, has competed for listeners with AM/FM and online media. It has had varying degrees of success with different formats. The Infinite Dial’s report attempted to track the response of AM/FM listeners in terms of the number who subscribe to the service.
The research suggested that hard rock/heavy metal takes first place with 39% of its listeners subscribing. Country music listeners represent the median with 25%. The trailing edge is held by contemporary Christian, where just 14% are signed up for SiriusXM.
