Inside Music MediaJerry Del Colliano

At the end of 2018 there were 278 million paid subscribers to streaming services according to The MIDIA Research Global Music Forecasts.

And many more users who listen through free ad-supported options.

Nielsen says free terrestrial radio reaches 270 million people per week.

The radio industry claims radio is the number one source for music discovery although anyone with children or who work with Millennials will have a hard time with that claim.

We hear a lot about that special relationship between radio and the record labels being over now in the era of streaming music services such as but not limited to Spotify and Apple.

So, the question is – which is more critical for breaking new hits?

Radio?

Or streaming music services and playlists?

Now we have the answer based on data including every song that broke either the top 50 on Spotify or radio according to Billboard dating back to the week of December 29, 2016.

• How many weeks does it take radio compared to Spotify to break a new hit record – the evidence is in.
• What curated playlists mean to Spotify and streaming music services and how they work.
• Does a song last longer on radio or Spotify?
• Does radio work simultaneously with Spotify or separate from it in exposing hits?
• Which genre gets the fastest traction when exposed to today’s hitmaking process.
• What is the main new role of radio airplay?

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