The Irish Audio Report 2025, drawn from the latest JNLR data, reveals an exceptionally vibrant audio market in Ireland, with almost universal weekly listening and strong engagement across live radio, streaming, podcasts and YouTube Music. The findings show that while digital formats continue to grow, radio remains the core daily audio habit for most adults, delivering both scale and sustained listening.

Key Findings

Audio Engagement

• 96% of adults listen to audio weekly, representing more than 4.2 million people.
• Live radio continues to be the most widely consumed format, with 89% weekly reach.
• 56% listen to online on-demand audio weekly, reflecting the broader growth of streaming and podcasts.

Technology & Access

• 91% smartphone ownership, enabling widespread mobile listening.
• 44% of households now own a smart speaker, a significant rise from 10% in 2018.
• Wireless headphone ownership stands at 56%, supporting audio on the move—especially among under-45s.

Subscriptions & Digital Behaviour

• 38% of adults have at least one paid audio subscription.
• Music streaming remains the leading subscription format (34%).
• Subscription levels among 15–24-year-olds have softened slightly year-on-year.

Time Spent Listening

• Across all audio consumed yesterday, live radio accounts for 73.8% of total listening time, reflecting its ability to hold listeners for longer periods.
• Music streaming accounts for 13.5%, with podcasts steady at 3.5%.
• The report shows that listeners tend to engage with on-demand content for shorter periods compared with live radio — most likely reflecting the curated or episodic nature of on-demand podcasts and clips.
• Younger listeners divide their time more evenly across formats, yet radio still captures the largest share (46.4%).

Listening Locations

• Home remains the top setting, with 67% listening yesterday.
• In-car listening has grown to 49%, driven by commuting and family routines, with radio the dominant in-car format.
• 12% listen at work, school or college, while 10% listen while walking, running or cycling.

Devices

• Two-thirds (67%) use a radio or music system daily, demonstrating the continued role of traditional devices.
• 32% listen via smartphone—rising to 43% among 15–24s.
• 11% use a smart speaker daily, continuing steady growth.

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