Podcasts Capture 21% Of Ad-Supported Audio Listening In Latest ‘Share Of Ear’ Report.

Podcast listening continues to command a significant share of American’s audio time, according to the latest Edison Research “Share of Ear” report, which shows podcasts are capturing a sizable portion of American’s time spent with audio. Within the broader audio landscape, podcasts rank third overall in total listening time, accounting for 11% of total audio listening and trailing only AM/FM radio and music videos on YouTube. But when focusing strictly on ad-supported media — where most podcast monetization occurs — podcasts move into a stronger second-place position behind radio.

Edison data shows among ad-supported audio platforms, podcasts’ share of time spent has quadrupled since 2017. The data shows AM/FM radio accounts for 63% of ad-supported listening time. Podcasts capture 21%, while ad-supported versions of Spotify and Pandora each hold 5% shares of listening.

“Podcast audiences more than double the combined ad-supported shares of Pandora and Spotify across major demos,” the report notes.

The data shows that in a typical hour of ad-supported audio listening, Americans spend roughly 12.8 minutes with podcasts, compared with 38 minutes listening to AM/FM radio. The remaining time is split among streaming services.

“Podcast listeners spend 28% more time with audio daily,” the report says, noting podcast listeners spend five hours a day with audio and use an average of three audio platforms. It also points out that podcast listeners are more likely to be smart speaker owners — 43% own one, which is four points higher than the national average.

Podcast listening is strongest among younger audiences, where it comes closest to challenging radio for listening time.

Among adults aged 18 to 34, podcasts account for a third of ad-supported audio listening, compared with 45% for AM/FM. Podcast share then declines with age, falling to 27% among adults 25 to 54, 20% among adults 35 to 64, and 12% among adults age 50 and older.

Similar patterns appear across gender groups. Among women 18 and older, podcasts account for 21% of ad-supported listening, while the share climbs to 30% among women 18–34. Among men 18 to 34, podcasts capture 38% of ad-supported listening time, second only to radio.

While podcasts command a significant portion of overall audio listening, the report shows the car continuing to be dominated by broadcast radio.

Among adults, AM/FM accounts for 83% of ad-supported audio listening in vehicles, while podcasts represent 8% of listening time in the car.

“In the car, AM/FM radio is truly the queen of the road,” said Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer at Cumulus Media and Westwood One’s Audio Active Group in a video detailing the quarterly numbers. By contrast, most podcast listening occurs at home—something that has been true since even before the pandemic.

The Edison data also shows podcasts holding a meaningful share among diverse audiences.

Among Hispanic adult listeners, podcasts account for 24% of ad-supported audio listening, second only to radio. Among African Americans adults, podcasts represent 13% of listening time, again ranking behind AM/FM.