Edison Research’s “Share of Ear” study, a quarterly survey tracking audio consumption among Americans aged 13 and older, provides insights into how music listening varies by preferred genre.
While the provided web results do not include specific Q4 2024 or later data breaking down time spent with music by genre, they offer a broader context of audio consumption trends that can inform this query.
The following response ia based on available information and general trends from Edison’s research up to Q3 2024, with a focus on music listening and potential genre-based differences.
Key Findings:
Americans aged 13+ spend approximately 75% of their daily audio time listening to music, with the remaining 25% dedicated to spoken word content (e.g., podcasts, news, sports talk).
Music listening is distributed across platforms like AM/FM radio, streaming services (e.g., Spotify, Pandora), owned music, YouTube, SiriusXM, and TV music channels.
Platform Preferences: Streaming music accounts for 18% of the daily audio time for Americans aged 13+, a significant increase from a decade ago, reflecting a shift from owned music (e.g., CDs, iTunes downloads) to “rented” streaming subscriptions. In 2017, streaming and owned music each accounted for 50% of music listening, but by 2024, streaming dominates with a 76% share compared to 24% for owned music.
AM/FM radio remains the largest single source of audio consumption, capturing 36% of the daily audio day, with a significant portion of music listening occurring via radio, especially in cars (86% of in-car ad-supported audio).
YouTube is also a notable platform for music, particularly for younger audiences, though specific genre breakdowns are not detailed in the results.
Younger listeners (ages 13-34) are more likely to use digital platforms like streaming services and YouTube for music. For example, among 18-34-year-olds, 50% of daily listening is to ad-free audio, often through subscription services like Spotify.
Hispanics, particularly those aged 18-34, show a strong preference for streaming platforms, with podcast listening (which can include music-related content) surpassing AM/FM radio as the top ad-supported audio platform for this group. This suggests a potential for genre-specific music preferences (e.g., Latin music) to influence streaming habits.
Among African Americans, AM/FM radio dominates, but specific music genre preferences are not detailed in the results.
Edison’s research suggests that music genre preferences vary by platform and demographic. For example, AM/FM radio often caters to genres like country, classic hits, or pop, which are popular among older listeners or in-car audiences, while streaming platforms like Spotify are more likely to reflect diverse genres like hip-hop, pop, or Latin music, especially among younger users.
A 2018 comparison of Edison and Nielsen data on Hispanic music listening showed AM/FM radio capturing a 35% share of music time among U.S. Hispanics, suggesting genres like Latin music or regional styles may be prominent on radio, while streaming platforms (46% share per Nielsen) may favor pop or urban genres.
Time Spent and Device Usage: Americans spend over four hours daily with audio, with mobile devices being the primary listening platform, especially for younger audiences (62% of spoken word audio for ages 13-24 is consumed on mobile devices, and music follows a similar trend).
In-car listening remains heavily music-focused, with AM/FM radio dominating, suggesting genres aligned with radio formats (e.g., pop, country, rock) account for significant listening time in this context.