The Westwood One 2021 Audioscape: Podcast Listeners Are Super Fans Of Audio

September 3, 2021 By Pierre Bouvard

According to the Westwood One 2021 Audioscape, the podcast audience is young, employed, educated and upscale. According to Edison Research’s Q2 2021 “Share of Ear,” they are also super fans of audio.

Podcast listeners are huge users of audio

Podcast listeners love audio and they want more of it. According to Edison’s Q2 2021 “Share of Ear” study, the average American consumes nearly four hours of audio each day. Personal music, satellite radio, AM/FM radio, streaming, and podcasts are all considered part of the broader world of audio. Among podcast listeners, audio use is off the charts. Podcast consumers spend over five hours a day with audio, +32% more than the average American.

Among podcast listeners, podcasts are the most listened to form of audio

Podcast listeners are not just super fans of audio. They are all in on podcasts. According to Edison Research’s Q2 2021 “Share of Ear,” podcast listeners spend almost a third of their audio time listening to podcasts. Tied for second place are AM/FM radio and streaming.

Podcasts have maintained dominance as the top audio source for podcast listeners, growing from 27% of audio time spent in Q2 2016 to 29% in Q2 2021.

Pierre Bouvard is Chief Insights Officer at CUMULUS MEDIA | Westwood One.

Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.