Report: Web Radio Music Listening Up 37.6% in 2008

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 10, 2009 - 12:22pm.

Marina, Calif. - Listening to Web radio music stations increased by 37.6% in 2008, to 6.67 billion hours, and in-stream audio sold against ad-supported cumulative listening hours was up 46% to $74 million, according to a report from AccuStream iMedia Research.

AOL's (NYSE: TWX) Shoutcast platform accounted for 52.5% of total time spent listening in 2008, and its cumulative music hours grew 47% from 2007.

Behind Shoutcast, ad-supported Clear Channel radio station sites drew 7.8% of total time spent listening, and a 16.5% share of the total ad-supported music listening market.

Total ad-supported music hours as a percentage of total online listening has declined each year since 2005, registering 44.2% in 2008. AccuStream projected that this trend will continue.

"Online music programmers are passionate about radio, and adapting their businesses to an inspired yet challenging marketplace," said AccuStream research director Paul A. Palumbo.

"In 2009 their focus is on running lean, efficient operations, capping international streams while pitching local, regional and national avails."