Playlists get more listening time than albums

Playlists are beating out albums for listenership, according to the latest study from the Music Business Association and LOOP. The survey results found that playlists account for 31% of total listening time across all demographics, compared with 22% for albums. Single tracks trounce both with a 46% share of total listening time, but that format is down from 52% in 2015. The release announcing the findings did not specify which digital and/or physical formats the album and track data included.

The Music Consumption study also asked about sources of audio content. YouTube was the most regularly used, with 42% saying they use the platform for at least five minutes of audio listening at least once a week. Pandora ranked second with 31%, followed by CDs at 22%.

This is also the second study from these organizations that points to a lack of interest in subscriptions. In the Music Consumption results, 42% of respondents said they were happy using freemium tiers for music access. A July survey found that teenagers in particular are using somebody else’s account for premium access or received their subscription in a free trial or bundle deal.