While smart speaker ownership has plateaued since the pandemic, the platform still has an important role to play in radio listenership. This comes as Edison Research’s Share of Ear reveals that AM/FM streaming has surged by 25%, surpassing pureplays.
In a recent insight, Audacy points out that AM/FM radio streaming now leads digital listening, with podcasts tied with pureplays, like Spotify and Pandora, each holding 26% of the digital share. This pattern of decline for pureplays is not new; since Q4 2018, AM/FM has seen a 34% increase in digital listening, while pureplays have plummeted by 51%.
Podcasting has emerged as a significant force, claiming 19% of all ad-supported listening and displaying a year-over-year growth of 20%. This indicates a shift towards content that caters to individual preferences and demands for on-demand accessibility.
In the realm of digital audio in the home, connected TVs have collected more buzz in recent months with a 20% growth in audio usage, but smart speakers still show a 15% increase in listening time year over year. Of that time, 45% of smart speaker listening is to AM/FM streams, with podcasts and pureplays tying for a distant second at 26% each.
The decline in traditional television viewership has coincided with a significant rise in the use of Smart TVs and related devices for audio content. The percentage of Americans aged 13 and older using these devices for audio has increased from 2% in 2016 to 6.9% recently, with notable growth occurring since 2020.
Focusing on the younger demographics, Gen Z and Millennials show a marked preference for podcasts and AM/FM radio among ad-supported audio, which lead as their top platforms with 40% and 35% of listening, respectively.
While AM/FM radio remains a central part of audio consumption, podcasts and smart speaker integration are paving the way for an innovative future in audio entertainment and interaction.
