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Throughout the history of Year of Share® we have documented several megatrends that explain how audio consumption has changed. One of the most consistent megatrends is the transition of time spent with “linear” forms of audio to “on-demand” platforms.
As the adjacent graph shows, when we started Year of Share, clearly the majority of time was spent with linear audio options like AM/FM radio and satellite radio. It took eight years for time spent with streaming music services and on-demand platforms like podcasts to catch up with linear alternatives, which happened in 2023. Time spent with on-demand sources is growing beyond linear – 56% of time spent with audio in 2026 will be spent with on-demand platforms.
The continuity of this pattern is noteworthy. The twelve point margin that occurred in 2020, three years before the crossing point, is the same margin we see today, albeit in the opposite direction. Share of Year subscribers have access to these trends as they emerge and the ability to see across different demographic groups.
