Younger audiences have different patterns of audio behaviour, with 15-24s much more likely to listen to streamed music services than any other demographic – potentially driven by their bias towards Help Me Escape and Amplify the Moment need-states where use of on-demand audio services is more prevalent – yet even here radio remains the most dominant form of audio entertainment. The number of radio listeners aged 13-34 has grown by 116% in the last 7 years.

A survey from nationalpublicmedia.com shows that the number of radio listeners aged 13-34 has grown by 116% in the last 7 years. This number is expected to increase when 5G networks make streaming easier and more affordable for worldwide listeners. 

On-Demand Streaming is the new way of listening to music. Spotify, YouTube and Tidal being the biggest providers. It’s also the most controversial because artists constantly pull their music from various platforms or speak out against it. But the practice is constantly evolving because the laws around music rights are complicated and competition between services is tight.

Many within the music industry believe On Demand Streaming is the future. It’s the fastest-growing sector, and one of the few formats with a huge young user base. But even though streaming appears to have a long life ahead of it, it has a long way to go if it’s ever going to unseat the current standard for exploring music, radio.

In 2001, 96 percent of US listeners consumed music via the radio. In 2011, that number was at 93 percent. 10 years later in 2021, the percentage was 92. The reach of online radio in the United States has increased sharply in the last decade, with 68 percent of the U.S. population having listened to online radio in the past month (survey from 2021), compared to 34 percent ten years previously. Yes, radio is still going strong!