Executive summary
Top-20 US audio property minutes rose 13% versus July 2023 (243 billion to 274 billion), but July 2025 was 310 billion, so July 2026 is about 36 billion lower by PPC Land's calculation. Free music-service listeners fell 8.7% and paid subscribers 10.0% year over year.
Key findings
- 274bn vs 310bn Minutes up on 2023, down on 2025
July 2026 minutes versus July 2025 for top-20 US audio properties, per the report's own chart. - -8.7% / -10.0% Free listeners and subscribers fell
Year-over-year change in July for free music-service listeners and paid subscribers. - 58% Listeners prefer free, ad-supported audio
Prefer free ad-supported audio to paying; 53% of those recalling mid-content ads called them disruptive. - 36% vs 13% TuneIn Free users report more purchases
Self-reported purchase after audio ads, TuneIn Free users versus others.
Methodology
Behavioural data from Comscore Media Metrix, Plan Metrix and Comscore Social, plus a US listener survey fielded July to August 2026 and described as weighted. Weighting method, panel provider and full-sample margin of error are not published.
Comscore emailed the 27-page report on October 20, 2026, with TuneIn as research partner. PPC Land analysed it.
How to read it
Comscore sells audio measurement and contextual targeting, and TuneIn sells audio advertising. Survey actions are self-reported, and the report does not publish its weighting method, panel provider or full-sample margin of error. The PDF pages carry no date; file metadata shows creation on October 16.