53M+ smart speaker owners in U.S.: NPR/Edison Research Smart Speaker Report

Fifty-three million American adults own smart speakers. Because some people and households own multiple speakers, that adds up to 118.5-million devices — a 78% increase in overall device ownership year-over-year. This, and much other data, come from the NPR/Edison Research Smart Audio Report, released in a webinar today. Continue Reading

Loup Ventures: Amazon still tops U.S. smart speakers, but Google projected to take the lead

Loup Ventures has published its latest update to its forecast of smart speaker sales. The revised predictions anticipate that 2019 will see 72 million unit sales, up from 52 million sales in 2018. The company is adding Chinese manufacturers to its global model, reflecting the growing presence those brands are having on international sales. Continue Reading

Survey finds mixed feelings in music biz about digital platforms adding podcasts

The UK’s BPI teamed with MusicAlly for a new report on music and podcasts. Their report recapped some existing research on podcast listening from sources such as The Infinite Dial, RAJAR, and the IAB, but it also offered some original research into how the audio format can be a tool for the music industry. The two organizations conducted an online survey of labels, artist managers, music publishers, distributors, and label services for their stances on the potential of podcasts. Continue Reading