Reports: Anchor

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Cover image for Podcasts and music streaming

Podcasts and music streaming
Mirrored growth

Annie Langston

3 Apr 2023

Apple Apple iTunes

The economic recession, and related layoffs at major podcasting divisions, have some questioning the future of the format. However, podcasts are following a similar trajectory as music did in its transition to streaming and have reached critical mass — 26% consumer penetration — faster than music streaming subscriptions did.

Podcast videos
Format blurring expands podcasts’ future

Annie Langston

1 Feb 2023

Creators Apple Spotify

Podcasts are breaking out of traditional audio and entering the video space, as nearly a quarter of consumers now watch podcast videos monthly. Visual elements for podcasts are becoming a crucial tool to reach new audiences and engage current listeners.

Cover image for Podcast market value chain

Podcast market value chain
The next investment is the listeners

Annie Langston

27 Oct 2022

Creators Apple Spotify

Investments from major audience platforms in audio infrastructure, such as hosting platforms and advertising, kickstarted the growth of the podcast market. With the basic infrastructure now in place, it is time for the major platforms to focus on growing the format by expanding listenership and user experience.

Cover image for Podcast monetisation and remuneration

Podcast monetisation and remuneration
Balancing creator and platform needs

Annie Langston

22 Aug 2022

Creators Apple Spotify

Audio platforms traditionally monetise through advertising and, to a lesser degree, listener subscriptions. However, with the rise of the creator economy and more creators entering the podcast space, platforms must bulk up their offerings for creator monetisation as well.

Audio creators
The new creative frontier

Annie Langston

27 Jul 2022

Apple Spotify YouTube

While exclusive content deals with celebrity names signposted the audio strategy of many of the market’s big players, audience platforms are already recognising the growing importance of independent audio creators as the market develops and expands.

Cover image for Spotify Podcast Strategy

Spotify Podcast Strategy
Strong Start, Long Way to Go

Mark Mulligan

28 Nov 2019

Spotify Spotify Pandora

Spotify has bet big on podcasts, viewing them as a means to multiple strategic ends. After a number of major acquisitions, Spotify is beginning to deliver meaningful audience and revenue numbers. Though it is still early days for Spotify’s podcast strategy, there is clear long-term potential to transform the wider audio landscape.

The Playlist Revolution
Streaming’s Battleground

Zach Fuller

30 Sep 2019

Streaming Music Apple Spotify

Playlists are swiftly becoming the lingua franca of the music streaming economy. While most closely associated with Spotify, playlists are now central to streaming as an entire sector. While playlists may not yet have become the dominant use case for streaming music in the way that binge watching is for video, they are transforming how audiences co...

Cover image for Spotify Q2 2019 Earnings

Spotify Q2 2019 Earnings
Mature Markets Still the Engine Room of Growth

Mark Mulligan

29 Aug 2019

Subscriptions Streaming Streaming Music

Q2 2019 was another solid quarter for Spotify, adding the same number of subscribers it typically does in promotional quarters. Core metrics such as churn and average revenue per user (ARPU) all moved in the right direction, but Spotify remains out of contract with two major label partners and needs emerging markets’ subscriber growth to start pi...

Cover image for The Global Music Publishing Market

The Global Music Publishing Market
Streaming Shifts the Conversation

Zach Fuller

22 Aug 2019

Apple Spotify Spotify

The effects of music streaming having supplanted both the download and the CD as the mainstream format for recorded music (accounting for 50% of total recorded revenue in 2018) are being keenly felt across the music publishing industry. The DNA of streaming consumption (playlists, lower mechanical royalties, less revenue on average for superstar ca...

State of the Podcast Nation

Mark Mulligan

23 Jul 2019

Apple Spotify Radio

Podcasts are an overnight success many years in the making. Podcasts were first added to Apple’s iTunes ecosystem in 2005, only to then spend a long time in the shadows. Now, however, they occupy the centre stage with radio companies, podcast vendors, streaming services and traditional media companies alike all trying to carve out roles.

Spotify Q1 2019 Earnings

Mark Mulligan

31 May 2019

Subscriptions Streaming Streaming Music

Q1 2019 was a quarter of milestones for Spotify, hitting 100 million subscribers, launching in India and becoming a podcast company. However, it was also a quarter in which a number of metrics started to soften. With the exception of ad revenue, none of these subtle shifts are enough on their own to provoke any serious concern.

Cover image for State of the Streaming Nation 3.0

State of the Streaming Nation 3.0
Multi-Paced Growth

Mark Mulligan

28 May 2019

Subscriptions Streaming Streaming Music

2018 was yet another strong year for streaming music growth, with the leading streaming services consolidating their market shares. Consumer adoption continues to grow but as leading markets mature, future growth will depend upon mid-tier markets and later on emerging markets.

Cover image for Spotify Q4 2018 Earnings

Spotify Q4 2018 Earnings
Strong Subscriber Growth With a Hint of Profitability but Long-Term ARPU Deflation

Mark Mulligan

12 Feb 2019

Subscriptions Streaming Streaming Music

Spotify finished 2018 strongly, over performing in both subscriber and ad-supported MAU additions. This was accompanied by Spotify’s first ever profitable quarter and two major podcast acquisitions early in 2019, hinting at a positive year ahead. However, at the same time, premium ARPU continues a long-term decline.