Digital audio is no longer a siloed channel, and new data from Audion and YouGov shows why advertisers and platforms need to rethink how they define listening.
The lines between audio, video, and individual streaming services are blurring faster than the industry has kept up with, according to a new study by YouGov for Audion. The research, which surveyed U.S. adults and comparative markets, reveals that consumers are following content across platforms and formats throughout their day, rather than staying loyal to one service or medium.
Among the headline numbers: 79% of U.S. adults 18 and older have consumed digital audio in the past 30 days, translating to more than 200 million people. But the deeper story lies in how those listeners behave. Sixty-six percent of digital-audio listeners say they sometimes or often use a video platform to listen without watching the screen, and YouTube has emerged as the leading platform for audio consumption, cited by 61% of listeners as a main destination, ahead of Spotify at 46% and Amazon Music at 23%.
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Platform loyalty is also fading. Three-quarters of U.S. digital-audio listeners—74%—have started content on one platform and finished it on another. Even Spotify users are not exclusive: 76% of them also use at least one other digital-audio platform.
Listening habits are woven into daily routines, with 52% of listeners tuning in during their morning commute, 43% while cooking, and 33% while working out. The study also fielded comparative research in France, Italy, and the UK/Great Britain, with similar multi-platform patterns emerging across all markets.
“Listeners aren’t making the distinctions the industry traditionally makes between audio, video and individual platforms. They follow content throughout their day and move between environments depending on the moment. For advertisers, that creates an opportunity to think about audio around audiences, context and outcomes rather than treating each platform as a separate strategy,” said Mike Villalobos, Chief Revenue Officer at Audion.
Julien Chevignon, YouGov CEO, Europe, added, “These findings show just how much listening habits have evolved. Listening is no longer defined by a device or platform, but by a moment and an intention. The fact that nearly two in three Italian listeners use a video platform without watching the screen is the clearest example of this shift. It’s a fundamental change that we’re seeing consistently across Italy, France, the United States and the UK.”
Key U.S. findings include:
- 79% of U.S. adults 18+ listened to digital audio in the past 30 days, representing more than 200 million adults.
- 66% of U.S. digital-audio listeners sometimes or often use a video platform to listen without watching the screen.
- 61% cite YouTube among the platforms they mainly use for digital audio, compared with 46% for Spotify and 23% for Amazon Music.
- 76% of Spotify users also use another digital-audio platform.
- 74% of digital-audio listeners have started content on one platform and finished it on another.
- Digital audio is embedded throughout the day, with 52% listening during their morning commute, 43% while cooking and 33% while working out.
YouGov conducted the study online using its proprietary panels from September 16–18, 2026. The U.S. research included a representative sample of 1,465 adults 18+, with a focused sample of 1,158 digital-audio listeners. Comparative research was also fielded in France, Italy and the UK/Great Britain market; final UK/GB terminology is pending client confirmation.
For the purposes of the research, digital audio includes music streaming; live radio via the internet; radio replays and podcasts; native or independent podcasts; and audio content consumed on YouTube without watching the video. Learn more here.
Audion is an advertising technology company that makes digital audio a measurable, performance-driven media channel. Its proprietary AI and contextual technology helps advertisers make audio a more measurable, performance-driven channel, analyzing audio and video content to inform contextual targeting, activation and optimization across premium digital environments. Founded in 2018 by Arthur Larrey and Kamel El Hadef, Audion works with more than 3,000 advertisers and agencies and operates across key markets in Europe and the United States.
Why it matters: The data signals that audio advertising strategies built around single platforms are outdated. As listeners fluidly move between YouTube, Spotify, and other services, brands must adapt to a cross-platform reality or risk losing reach and relevance in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Jen Crompton
Sharp Pen Media
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