👋 Audio Currents #1: Meet the Creators

The report shares demographic data and insights on creation and monetization from ~700 independent audio creators in the U.S.

• Center of growth: The report posits that while the audio media landscape shines more of a spotlight on “giants” it’s the independent creators that are at the center of the “growth of this ever-evolving industry.”

  • The creators surveyed include podcasters, streamers, voice artists, musicians, and video-first content creators.

• Racial diversity: The majority (57%) of audio creators in the U.S. identify as White, followed by Hispanic/Latinx (20%), Black (14%), and Asian (13%.)

• Creators skew young and male: Almost half (48%) of the creators fall in the 18-24 demographic, while 74% identified as male.

• Creating for fun: The top reason for respondents to create is artistic expression, fun, or hobby. When further split into gender-specific data, the report finds that male respondents make content for fun while female and non-binary creators make content for artistic expression.

  • However, 74% of the creators said they “currently monetize or plan to monetize their content.”

• Telling a tale: The second most popular reason is to tell a story or share a message that the respondents are passionate about.

• Download the complete report for free here.

• Disclaimer: Audio Currents is powered by Recordical, the platform at the helm of the Meet the Creators Report. 

However, it is reportedly not interested in making its own record label.

• Beyond labels: While The Information reports that these deals are “typical of major record labels,” ByteDance’s Ole Obermann denies that this is a step in TikTok becoming a label.

  • Obermann says that becoming a label “doesn’t fit into” TikTok’s strategy.

• Going bigger: Online publication musically notes that TikTok’s SoundOn was previously positioned for emerging artists native to the platform. However, these new efforts indicate that they want to include “more established musicians.”

• Getting affordable: Additionally, this move by TikTok could reduce the costs of licensing artists’ music.

This campaign is launching in celebration of Small Business Month.

• Who: For the purpose of this campaign, a small business is defined as an “independently owned for-profit enterprise that employs 500 or fewer persons.”

• How: Once the businesses apply on the website, an Acast panel will select one business to have their ad creative produced. The last date to apply is June 13, 2023. 

• What: The winner of the campaign will be given $10,000 in ad spend to advertise their business on Acast’s podcast network.