Edison’s “Share Of Ear” Q4 2022: AM/FM Radio Dominates Ad-Supported Time Spent And Streaming Is Now 20% Of AM/FM Radio Listening
Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study is the authoritative examination of time spent with audio in America. Edison Research surveys 4,000 Americans to measure daily reach and time spent for all forms of audio.
Perception vs. reality: Agencies and advertisers underestimate AM/FM radio shares and overestimate Pandora and Spotify audiences
The just released Q4 2022 report reveals a yawning gap in agency/marketer perceptions of audio audiences. A study of 300 media agencies and marketers conducted in August 2022 by Advertiser Perceptions, the gold standard measurement firm of advertiser sentiment, found the perceived combined share of Pandora/Spotify is 44%, much greater than the perceived share of AM/FM radio (28%).
AM/FM radio’s actual share (73%) is three times larger than what advertisers perceive (28%).
Agencies and advertisers vastly overestimate Pandora and Spotify shares. According to the Q4 2022 “Share of Ear,” AM/FM radio’s persons 18+ share of ad-supported audio (73%) is 15 times larger than Pandora (5%) and 18 times greater than Spotify (4%).
AM/FM radio dominates ad-supported audio share of time spent
AM/FM radio is the leader of ad-supported audio with a 73% share of ad-supported audio time spent among persons 18+. Podcasts take the second-place spot with a 15% share. Ad-supported Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM lag behind with mid-single digital shares.
2022 versus 2017: AM/FM radio is dominant and AM/FM radio streaming grows to beat ad-supported Pandora/Spotify combined
Looking back over the last five years, among persons 25-54, AM/FM radio streaming (13%) has grown to beat ad-supported Pandora/Spotify combined (9%). Pandora is down significantly (10% to 5%). Spotify is small and up slightly (3% to 4%).
AM/FM radio dominates listening in the car with an 88% share of ad-supported audio
Out of all ad-supported audio in the car, AM/FM radio has an 88% share. Over the last four years, AM/FM radio’s share of ad-supported audio in the car has been steady at an 88% share. Ad-supported Spotify represents less than a 1% share of ad-supported audio time spent.
Streaming soars to 20% of all 25-54 AM/FM radio listening
From 2016 to 2019, streaming grew slightly to represent 10% of all AM/FM radio listening. Over the last three years, streaming has surged to represent 20% of 25-54 AM/FM radio time spent.
Head snapper: AM/FM radio’s 25-54 streaming audiences are +44% larger than ad-supported Spotify and Pandora combined
Among 25-54s, the ad-supported audiences of Pandora (5%) and Spotify (4%) are quite small. AM/FM radio’s streaming share of 13% is +44% larger than Pandora and Spotify combined.
Key takeaways:
- Perception vs. reality: Agencies and advertisers underestimate AM/FM radio shares and drastically overestimate Pandora and Spotify audiences
- AM/FM radio’s persons 18+ share of ad-supported audio (73%) is 15 times larger than Pandora (5%) and 18 times greater than Spotify (4%)
- 2022 versus 2017: AM/FM radio is dominant and AM/FM radio streaming grows to beat ad-supported Pandora/Spotify combined
- In the car, AM/FM radio dominates ad-supported listening with an 88% share
- Streaming soars to 20% of all 25-54 AM/FM radio listening
- Head snapper: AM/FM radio’s 25-54 streaming audiences are +44% larger than ad-supported Spotify and Pandora combined