Executive Summary

Most US adults listen to some digital audio today, and time spent with it is growing. But most consumers regard paid audio subscriptions as a luxury rather than a necessity—that will remain the case in the near term.

3 KEY QUESTIONS THIS REPORT WILL ANSWER

1. How has the digital audio audience grown?
2. Which companies have the strongest positions among ad-supported and paying listeners?
3. How are platforms including YouTube and TikTok shaping this market?

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? Our forecast for US digital audio user growth by device, demographic, and company; our forecast for paid digital audio subscriber growth; and insights on who is listening to digital audio.

KEY STAT: Growth in paid digital audio subscribers will slow considerably following strong gains during the pandemic. Subscribers rose 80.6% from 2018 through 2022 but will rise only 14.8% through 2026.