Listen Up!

Americans aren’t just obsessed with screens–audio listening is all the rage. Smart speakers have helped bring radio back into the home and smartphones have given listeners greater choice, access and control of content–anywhere, anytime. Podcast listening is becoming more mainstream and demographically diverse as more people seek new ways to learn and connect. Interestingly, staying at home has helped to accelerate audio listening trends in 2020.

Retail & Consumer Trends

Online radio and the persuasive power of podcasts.

In the first quarter of 2020, 68% of Americans said they listened to online radio in the past month and 60% in the past week. 45% listened to online radio in the car using their phone, up from 41% in 2019 and only 5% in 2010.
In 2019, 24% of total listening hours to AM/FM radio streams occurred with smart speakers, up from 18% in 2018.
36% of total smart speaker owners and 52% of 18-34 year olds say they are using their device more to listen to music and entertainment since the pandemic began.
Since 2005 over 700,000 podcasts have been created, giving consumers access to more choices that are personally meaningful.
About 55% or 155 million Americans have listened to a podcast. Podcast listening from home jumped from 49% before the pandemic to 70% in mid-May 2020, while in car and at work listening dropped.
37% of all Americans ages 12+ are monthly listeners of podcasts in 2020, a growth of 54% in 3 years.

Product Highlights

Echo Buds by Amazon

Take Alexa everywhere you go! These wireless earbuds deliver immersive sound and utilize Bose Active Noise Reduction Technology to limit background noise. The Echo Buds work with the Alexa app to stream music, make calls, schedule appointments and more! Alexa is always getting smarter. Just ask her for help and enjoy a hands-free listening experience; no tapping required!

Bose Portable Home Speaker with Built-In Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Google Assistant and Alexa Voice Control

Stream your favorite music or podcast without sacrificing sound quality. The Portable Smart Speaker is a wireless home speaker, a portable Bluetooth speaker, and a voice-controlled speaker, all in one. Around the house, you can move it from room to room—and when you leave home, you can take it with you. Available anywhere with Wi-Fi, you can control it with your voice and stream music directly from the cloud.

Scosche BTFreq™ Hands-Free Car Kit with FM Transmitter

Bring your classic car into the present with the Scosche BTFreq™ Hands-Free FM Transmitter. Just plug it into your car’s power port and sync with your FM stereo to play music or make calls hands-free. The USB-C power port lets you simultaneously charge your phone, so you can keep your podcasts streaming while enjoying the ride.

Subscription to Audible

Now the world’s largest seller and producer of audiobooks and other spoken-word entertainment, Audible has reinvented the media category through a subscription-based model that not only offers audiobooks, but also innovative original content performed by leading talent to inspire and enhance your day.