A new report from Edison Research reveals that just over half of Americans age 13 and older currently pay for at least one audio subscription service, but the number of people subscribing to multiple services is declining.
According to data from Edison’s Share of Ear study for Q1 2025, 51% of Americans 13 pay for some form of audio subscription, with 35% subscribing to a single service. Ten percent pay for two services, while just 6% pay for more than two. The majority of paid subscribers, then, appear to be consolidating their audio spending into a single platform.
That’s a noticeable shift from Q4 2022, when 28% paid for just one service and 13% paid for more than two. Edison notes the total number of audio subscribers has remained relatively steady around the 50% mark, but the mix has changed. “The percentage who pay for just one service has increased from 28% to 35%,” the report states.
The trend may reflect broader economic pressures. “Talks of an ‘imminent recession’ have been circulating for years now and many might regard audio subscriptions as a less-than-necessary expense,” Edison suggests. The drop in multi-service subscribers may indicate consumers are “tightening their belts” in response to current or potential financial challenges.
The report also reflects a broader evolution in how Americans consume audio. “For all of human history until the advent of the phonograph, the notion of ‘owning’ music or speech-based audio didn’t exist,” the company notes. From wax cylinders to CDs, the ownership era has now given way to one of “renting” audio through subscriptions.
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