Mediavision has monitored consumer listening habits for a long time, both in newer digital forms and traditional radio listening. Today, 75 percent of all 15–74-year-olds say that they have “listened” to some form of audio content on an average day. The overall level is stable compared to the same period last year, but there is a significant decrease in live radio listening. Meanwhile, reach for digital audio services such as audiobooks, streamed music, and podcasts is increasing. This is revealed in Mediavision’s Q3 analysis of the Swedish audio market.

Over 75 percent of the population 15-74 years old listen to audio media such as radio, audiobooks, music, and podcasts, on an average day. This is the same share as last year. However, there are significant changes between the different audio categories. Live radio listening has decreased substantially, by nearly 10 percent, while listening to digital audio services has increased by almost 15 percent. In general 60 percent listen to at least one digital audio service on an average day. Growth is driven by more people listening to streamed music and podcasts. The gap in reach between digital audio and live radio has thus increased significantly compared to the same time last year.

¹ Live radio includes self-assessed live radio listening both traditional and internet distribution ² Digital audio services includes streamed or downloaded music, audiobooks, and/or podcasts.

When fewer people listening to live radio, it becomes increasingly important for audio providers to offer content that can be consumed digitally, i.e., when it suits the listener. This is also likely to have an impact on the radio advertising market, which currently relies heavily on live listening.

– The shift from traditional to digital audio formats continues. More and more people are now listening to digital audio services, while fewer are listening to live radio, comments Fredrik Liljeqvist, senior analyst at Mediavision. In Q3, we can see that services like Spotify and Youtube Music are taking bigger shares of the total listening. Just like for other media categories, this means that consumers are moving from local actors to global services. Mediavision believes that this will shape the Swedish audio market in the coming years as well.