More Than Half of Global Music Listeners Use a Free or Ad-Supported Music Account

Consumers in regions like Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa are more likely to use free or ad-supported music services while North America has more users with at least one premium paid music account, according to GWI data. 

WARC Media’s latest Global Ad Trends: Media models in flux report looks at the advertising opportunities in music streaming, as Spotify revamps its strategy via podcast ads.

Spotify welcomed 10 million new paid subscribers and 22 million new ad-supported users in the fourth quarter. Its ad-supported revenue grew 14% year-on-year, reaching €449m ($491m). A 30% growth in podcasting has helped to lead its ad-supported revenue growth.

Podcasts might be undervalued by as much as $40bn and present a major opportunity for brands. According to WARC Media ad spend data, podcast media is forecast to grow 8% and reach $1.9bn this year. The medium remains an important spot for digital advertising, especially for audio and music. YouTube became the most popular platform for both music and podcast listening in the US, implying more advertising opportunities in visually-supported audio streaming.

Credit: WARC