Key stat: 57% of US digital audio listeners spend the most time with music playlists, far ahead of podcasts (35%) and every other format, according to a March 2026 survey from Harris Poll and EMARKETER.

Beyond the chart:

• Music may own the most listening time, but podcasts punch far above their weight at driving action. In fact, 22% of monthly US podcast listeners made an immediate purchase after hearing a podcast ad, outpacing Instagram (13%), premium TV streaming (13%), and YouTube (12%), according to Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill Insights.
• That edge comes down to trust. Among weekly podcast listeners, 56% name podcast hosts as their most trusted influencers, well ahead of social media influencers (20%), celebrities (15%), and radio hosts (10%), according to Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights.

Use this chart: Drop this into a media-planning deck to show why music streaming still anchors digital audio attention. Use it to benchmark podcast and spoken-word budgets against the format your audience actually spends the most time with, and to pressure-test where incremental audio dollars should go.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• Gen Z Digital Audio Habits 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Radio and Digital Audio Ad Spending Benchmarks: Q2 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the April 2026 Harris Poll and EMARKETER Survey titled "Digital Audio" conducted by Harris Poll. 2,039 US adults ages 18+, including 1,639 who listen to digital audio at least monthly, were surveyed during March 12-28, 2026. Data is weighted to be representative of the US adult population.