Nielsen’s recent audio report suggests that Americans spend almost 20%, or 4 hours and 5 minutes of every day listening to audio.
The research, conducted between April and June, 2024 breaks down people’s time spent listening to audio as follows:
- 67% of daily listening to ad-supported radio
- 19% of daily listening to podcasts
- 11% of daily listening to streaming services
- 3% of daily listening to satellite ad-free subscription radio
While Americans use radio throughout their day in many different settings, most listening happens outside of the home during daylight hours.
In the car, more than 80% of ad-supported audio time goes to radio. With radio offerings that spread news, culture, music, comedy, sports talk and companionship.
The share of streaming audio is also dynamic when sorted by age. The formats which have a higher share of audience for streaming are spoken word, which are inclusive of News and Sports, and rock-based formats, which include Alternative and Classic Rock.
Among younger listeners (18-34), there is more balance between total share and streaming because these are the most avid audio streamers.
Even with new channels emerging every year, audio remains a cornerstone of the American media diet.
This is particularly true in 2024 with marquee sports and news events like the summer Olympics and presidential election.
As marketers continue to look at where best to engage with audiences in Australia, the report continues to provide great insight into audio’s reach and impact.
