2021 U.S. music revenue, driven by streaming, on pace to set new record (RAIN projection)

The U.S. recorded music industry is projected to exceed a 48-year revenue record set in 1999, according to RAIN’s examination of reports from the RIAA. The historical revenue high point was set in 1999 at $14.6-billion in recorded music revenue. Based on a persistent trend of H2 revenue exceeding H1 revenue, we project a new high water mark driven by streaming, the most lucrative channel for music labels. Click through for details and infographics. Continue Reading

Canadian digital audio listening surpasses radio for first time; divergence will increase (eMarketer)

Canadian listeners chose digital audio sources slightly more than radio in 2021, for the first time. This according to eMarketer. “The switch is related to a reduction in commuting,” the company notes, “which has had a direct impact on terrestrial radio consumption.” eMarketer is predicting a widening of the gap in 2022. Continue Reading

Surge in Latino podcast listening the #1 “Top Finding” in 2021 from Edison Research

In an online presentation today, Edison Research released its Top Ten Findings of 2021, an interesting selection of key metrics from the company’s many consumer survey studies such as The Infinite Dial, Share of Ear, Podcast Consumer Tracker, and The Black Podcast Listener Report. Click through for details and infographics. Continue Reading

Podcast advertisers in November: Familiar brands plus the Pentagon

In Magellan AI’s just-released ranking of podcast ad spending, we see the continuation of a sameness trend. Eight of the top 15 companies have ranked in the list for eight straight months. And in November there are no new brands that haven’t appeared once in the past eight months of RAIN comparisons. Click through for links and RAIN’s 8-month chart. Continue Reading

Audio subscription revenue nearly two-thirds of total; digital audio ad revenue set to gain

Digital audio revenue is mostly derived from subscriptions, which will reach nearly two-thirds of total revenue in 2022. eMarketer projects 2022 as the yeard of greatest divergence between subscription revenue and digital audio ad revenue. Platforms included in this research include digital AM/FM, plurplay internet radio, satellite, and streaming music services. Continue Reading

Podcast listeners listening more: Acast/Nielsen study

Podcast listeners are doubling down: Over half of them spent more time listening over the past six months than previously — that metric courtesy of research conducted by Nielsen in partnership with global podcast company Acast for this week’s Adweek in NYC. That 52% is favorable compared to the results for other audio categories. Click through for key findings. Continue Reading

Edison Research to intro The Infinite Dial UK

The Infinite Dial, globally recognized as a singular authoritative consumer survey and reference for how people consume digital media, will be extended to the UK next month. The annual American edition has been produced for 24 years, resulting in exceptionally valuable trend lines illustrating consumer uptake of streaming audio and podcasting. The brand has expanded to Canada, Australia, Germany, and South Africa. The December 2 release of a UK version will be Edison’s first for that region, and is supported by Bauer Media and Spotify. Click for the registration link. Continue Reading

“Black Podcast Listener Report” reveals size and characteristics of the American Black audience

The much anticipated Black Podcast Listener Report, with support from Edison Research and Mindshare, was released today and presented in a webinar. Key survey points cover the size of the Black listening audience and how it compares with the total U.S. population, how that audience discovers podcasts, their receptivity to podcast ads, and much more. Click through for many data points and graphics. Continue Reading