Audio & Media Published Studies

Audio in Evolution

Five Megatrends from a Decade of Streaming Research

Audio in Evolution uncovers the top five trends driving audio growth and reveals key factors driving these megatrends. Findings include opportunities these trends can bring to brands who want to reach and engage with consumers through audio advertising.

Audio in Evolution: Five Megatrends from a Decade of Streaming Audio Research from Edison Research and Amazon Ads

Streaming audio gained prominence in the 2010s as a way for listeners to easily buy, listen to, and share audio content digitally at scale for the first time. This change sparked the beginning of an audio evolution. Since then, we have seen an explosion in new listeners adopting the content format, the birth of new streaming audio technologies, and an increased diversity of streaming audio content.

Audio in Evolution: Five megatrends from a decade of streaming audio research, from Edison Research and Amazon Ads, uncovers the top five trends driving audio growth and reveals key factors driving these megatrends. Findings include opportunities these trends can bring to brands who want to reach and engage with consumers through audio advertising.

Download the study or watch the replay of the webinar for more detail on the following five megatrends:

#1 Streaming audio is thriving, and likely to continue growing

75% of U.S. adults listened to streaming audio in the last month, up 27% in the past five years. U.S. adults spend an average of one hour and 49 minutes per day with streaming audio, which is 41% of their daily total audio time.

#2 Streaming audio offers brands new ways to reach and engage customers

78% of monthly streaming audio listeners are reached by ad-supported content. Sixty-three percent of monthly streaming audio listeners reported that streaming audio messages are less disruptive than video messages.

#3 The evolution of audio is partially fueled by new audio technology

91% of smart speaker owners reported listening to streaming audio in the past month, +20% more likely than those who do not own smart speakers. Smart speaker owners reported listening to audio for 4 hours 46 minutes per day, +12% longer than those who do not own smart speakers.

#4 More options for content and providers have led to more listening

In 2014, U.S. adults were spending 20% of their audio listening time with spoken word content. In 2023, that number has grown to 29%, representing a 42% increase in share in the past decade. In 2022, monthly streaming audio listeners listened to an average of 2.4 streaming audio services per month. Consumers who reported listening to more than one service reported listening for an average of +30% longer per week.

#5 New audio technologies have brought audio home, and it’s likely here to stay

58% of all time spent with audio is done in the home, +21% since 2015. This number has remained flat from 2020 to 2022, even as consumers have returned to pre-pandemic routines. Forty-two percent of US adults reported they listen to audio content more frequently in the home now compared to three years ago (pre-pandemic).

About the study
The study includes results from a meta-analysis of data from the past ten years using Edison Research’s Share of Ear ® and The Infinite Dial © studies. This study also includes a Q4 2022 survey of 1,058 U.S. adults age 18+, and in-depth interviews with 30 U.S. adults, who agreed to share how their audio habits had changed over the years.