According to an analysis in Westwood One’s blog, Edison’s most recent quarterly measure of time spent with all forms of audio shows AM/FM with a 62% share of ad-supported audio time spent among persons 18+, vs. ad-supported Spotify’s 6%.

The report also points to a significant gap between advertiser perceptions and measured audience behavior. Survey data cited in the analysis indicate that marketers estimate AM/FM radio and ad-supported Spotify have roughly equal audience shares, while Edison data shows a much larger lead for radio. The study argues that many advertisers overestimate the reach of ad-supported streaming audio and underestimate radio’s role in the audio marketplace.

Another key finding involves Spotify’s audience composition. Edison reports that most Spotify listening occurs on the platform’s ad-free subscription tier, with 78% of listening time coming from premium users and only 22% from ad-supported listeners. As a result, the report concludes that the advertising opportunity available through Spotify is substantially smaller than many marketers assume.

Share of Ear® is survey data, not download or subscriber data. While individual audio sources have their own measures, Share of Ear® surveys listeners to capture ALL of their daily listening in one dataset, providing a level playing field for all audio sources. It is the only audio survey in the U.S. to provide analysis of all audio consumption.