Here's How Americans Are Using Emerging Forms of Audio

A few weeks ago, Edison Research released their annual Infinite Dial study. When Edison Research started the Infinite Dial Study in 1998, the goal was to understand how Americans use emerging forms of audio and new media. In the first study, only a tiny number of consumers had ever tried audio streaming over dial-up connection. 25 years later, the Infinite Dial is the longest-running study of consumer digital media use.

For marketers, the most compelling aspect of the study highlighted audio streaming and podcasts audiences.

The Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® blog has summarized the most crucial data on the U.S. audio streaming and podcast audiences into two slides.

The two slides reveal long-term trends in audio streaming and podcast audience metrics.

After several years of stability, online audio streaming experienced a significant listening surge in 2022 as 70% listen weekly

Compared to 2021, monthly and weekly online audio audiences have leapt forward by five points. 73% of Americans have listened to audio streaming in the last month, stable from last year. 70% have listened in the last week, up from 2022’s 67%.

Americans continue to be thoroughly habituated to online audio streaming. 93% of the monthly audience also listens weekly, a record high.

 
Edison Research’s recently released Q4 2022 “Share of Ear” tracking study reveals from 2016 to 2019, streaming grew slightly to represent 10% of all AM/FM radio listening. Over the last three years, AM/FM radio streaming has surged to represent 20% of 25-54 AM/FM radio time spent.

42% of Americans now listen to podcasts monthly

The growth in podcast awareness and listenership over the last six years has been amazing:

• Over eight in ten 12+ Americans are familiar with the term podcasting, up from 60% in 2017.
• 64% of Americans have ever listened to a podcast, a +60% increase since 2017 (40%).
• 42% of Americans have listened to a podcast in the last month, a +75% increase versus 2017 (24%).
• The weekly podcast audience (31%) has doubled from 15% in 2017.
• Podcast habituation is up. 74% of the monthly podcast audience have also listened in the past week, a +17% increase from 2017. After four years of monthly to weekly conversion in the high 60% range, the current 74% habituation index is the strongest in the history of podcasting. Americans are increasingly getting into the podcast habit.