With over-the-air radio remaining the favored audio source in the automobile, Edison Research’s Share of Ear shows that satellite radio is making a surge in one particular area. The new data comes as SiriusXM makes an aggressive push for new subscribers.
In 2023, Share of Ear highlighted a pivotal shift in US audio consumption patterns, revealing that on-demand audio usage has surpassed linear audio, except in the car. Of that time, AM/FM radio constitutes 52% of all in-car audio time, yet SiriusXM’s prominence is growing in newer model cars.
Specifically, individuals with cars from the 2020 model year onwards dedicate 22% of their in-car listening time to SiriusXM, a stark contrast to the 4% allocated by those with vehicles from 2009 or earlier. This is attributed to two main reasons: modern dashboard features and the financial ability to subscribe to premium services by those driving newer – and more expensive – vehicles.
While SiriusXM recently underwent a major rebrand and launched a widespread ad campaign, they’re banking on younger customers and more streaming subscribers, as opposed to in-car listeners. Even so, the company keeps rolling out its 360L dashboard service into more new cars.
As the dashboard screen becomes a source of entertainment in itself as opposed to just a user interface for audio, traditional radio will have to innovate to stay competitive in the long-term. However, the overall commitment to linear audio, combining AM/FM and satellite radio, remains consistent across all car ages, accounting for approximately 74-75% of total daily in-car audio time.
