SSRS Audio & Media Solutions

Share of Ear®

Since 2014, the Only Data Set that Measures All Types of Audio Consumption in the U.S.

Share of Ear® tracks listening to AM/FM, streaming, podcasts, owned music, YouTube, SiriusXM, audiobooks, and music channels on television, in any location and on any device.

Share of Ear® is a quarterly audio listening diary survey measuring respondents’ audio listening during a 24-hour period. We learn what Americans age 13+ are listening to, how much they listen, when and where they listen, and on what devices they listen.

We also learn consumer characteristics such as what model year car they drive and to what political party they belong. We have been conducting this study since 2014, and brands like Westwood One, Audacy, Spotify, SiriusXM Media, Amazon, and Apple rely on Share of Ear® data to keep up with Americans’ audio habits.

Share of Ear® in the News

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Jul. 30, 2026

Audio Key to Reaching 2026 Voters

Share of Ear Data Reveals

Jul. 29, 2026

Share of Ear Reveals AM/FM Radio’s Huge Lead Over Ad-Supported Spotify

New Edison Data Reveals Gap Between Advertiser Perceptions and Audio Listening Behavior

Jun. 26, 2026

The Power of Audio 2026

NPR’s sponsorship division, National Public Media, Reports on Edison Research at SSRS Data

May. 5, 2026

Key Takeaways from the NAB Show Session on Improving the Listening Experience

Radio Ink Covers Laura Ivey’s Session at the Conference

Apr. 20, 2026

Why we can’t sit alone with our thoughts anymore

Washington Post Article Featuring Data from Edison Research at SSRS and Nielsen

Feb. 24, 2026

Edison Data Highlights Surge In Sports Radio Performance

Inside Radio Reports on Edison Data

Feb. 11, 2026

The Record: Q4 U.S. audio listening trends

Fueled by Nielsen and Edison Research Share of Ear

Jun. 12, 2024

Turning up the volume on sports fandom

Sports have never been more accessible, and neither has fandom.

Apr. 30, 2024

Americans Listen To Far More Radio Than Podcasts—Even Young People, New Data Shows

“Share of Ear® research provides the definitive and authoritative understanding of how Americans consume audio. If you are a brand, agency, or content producer, this is one of the most useful and actionable resources you can access! ”

Pierre Bouvard Chief Insights Officer - Westwood One

“Share of Ear® research provides valuable cross platform insights that help me paint a total audience picture using key metrics that resonate in the marketplace. ”

Nicholaus Tzineff Director, Audio Research - ESPN, Inc.

Milestones Recorded by Share of Ear®

2014

Share of Ear® debuts; AM/FM radio listening accounts for half of all daily audio consumption in the U.S.

2018

Listening on voice-enabled speakers is tracked; accounts for 2% of all daily listening

2020

Share of daily audio listening at home increases 18% year-over-year due to COVID-19 quarantine measures
The share of all AM/FM radio listening in the U.S. done via radio station streams hits double digits at 11%, while 89% of listening continues to be to traditional, over-the-air radio signals

2022

25% of daily audio content consumed by Americans age 13+ is spoken word; 75% is music
Among those age 18-34, 50% of all daily listening is to ad-free audio
Americans spend more time with audio on mobile devices than on radios

2023

Podcasts account for 10% of all daily time spent with audio
Americans spend more time listening to on-demand audio sources than to linear audio sources
Linear audio still rules in-car listening with 76% of total in-car audio time going to linear platforms

Share of Ear Audio Dial™

One of the many questions answered by the Share of Ear® study is, “What percent of daily listening time do those in the U.S. age 13+ spend with various audio sources?” The answers can be found in the Share of Ear Audio Dial™, updated below with the most recent data from the Q2 2026 survey.

Share of Ear® Answers:

What audio platforms are people using?
What time of day do they listen?
Where are they listening?
What devices are they using to listen?
What kind of content are they listening to?

What You Get

Quarterly updates
Fully interactive sortable dashboard
Data on all major streaming companies
Access to complete dataset
Data trends since 2014

Share of Ear® Tracks Listening By:

Platform

AM/FM OTA or streaming, streaming music, podcasts, SiriusXM, YouTube free for music videos, audiobooks, owned music, music channels on TV, other

Location

Home, work, car, other

Device

AM/FM radio, mobile device, computer/laptop, voice-enabled speaker, satellite radio receiver, TV, internet-connected TV device, CD player, other

Type of Content

Music, news/Information, personalities/talk shows, sports talk/play-by-play

FAQ

How is the data collected?

Each quarter, 1,000 respondents age 13+ are surveyed using a one-day listening diary. The majority of respondents use an online diary, but some use a paper diary. Respondents self-report listening details for every 15-minute period of time for 24 hours

What is Share of Ear®?

Share of Ear® is a syndicated quarterly dataset that measures all daily audio consumption in the U.S. It has been published since 2014.

What makes Share of Ear® unique?

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.

How is the data collected?

What aspects of audio consumption does Share of Ear® measure?

Listening behavior includes all audio sources: AM/FM radio and radio streams, podcasts, streaming music, YouTube for music, owned music, audiobooks, SiriusXM, TV music channels, and other audio sources. Listening location is measured and includes: at home, in-car, at work, and other. Listening device, headphone usage, and many other measures are included.

Does Share of Ear® offer data on listener demographics?

Yes, listener age, gender, income, employment status, and presence of children are measured.

Does Share of Ear® offer data on other types of listener behavior?

Other variables in the dataset include model year of primary car, political party, premium audio subscription status, presence of smart speakers, and more.

How do subscribers access Share of Ear® data?

Online Tableau interface includes access to Share, Reach, Minutes, and Trending dashboards. Trending data from 2014 is included for subscribers. Custom reports are available on request.