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The news: Spotify added direct messaging to its free and premium tiers, marking a major step toward the streaming platform becoming a more social destination. Messaging is available one-on-one on mobile devices, and users can only start conversations with people they鈥檝e already shared content with鈥攍ike a collaborative playlist or participating in a Blend or Jam. Our take: For marketers, this opens up greater potential for content virality, social-driven campaigns, and integrations with creators and communities. Brands should explore building shareable, collaborative music experiences, like sponsored playlists or interactive audio experiences built for DM sharing.

The news: YouTube Music is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a slate of new features, bringing it closer to serving as a full Spotify replacement. Our take: As music platforms evolve into social ecosystems, brand strategies should adapt from passive ad placements to active participation. Testing new ad formats in Taste Match playlists and comments could provide organic brand presence, while partnering with artists who already bridge YouTube鈥檚 properties opens access to engaged, music-first communities.

The news: Spotify is expanding its automated podcast buying capabilities, giving advertisers the opportunity to reach podcast listeners through two automated buying channels. Spotify Ads Manager is evolving to give advertisers in several regions 鈥渄irect access to premium podcast inventory,鈥� including content from original and licensed podcasts.. Our take: The updates could enable Spotify to increase its share of ad dollars, attracting advertisers looking for more opportunities to reach engaged audiences representing key demographics. But to continue attracting spending, Spotify will need to shift some focus to drawing in more listeners to keep its podcast offerings attractive.

Digital audio consumption continues to grow in the US. Younger audiences are leading the way, adopting platforms like Spotify and audio content like podcasts.

Apple is partnering with digital platform TuneIn to strengthen its radio reach and better compete with Spotify, per the Wall Street Journal. The move will see Apple distribute its radio stations across connected cars and home speakers globally and marks the first time Apple鈥檚 current radio stations will be accessible outside of the Apple Music app. Apple鈥檚 radio push could breathe life into its struggling streaming units, attracting listeners who haven鈥檛 considered Apple Music and potentially drawing in advertisers who are looking for access to Apple鈥檚 library.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss if the death of the Late Show is 鈥渢he canary in the linear coal mine鈥� and the biggest takeaways from the landmark NFL and ESPN deal. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Editor, Daniel Konstantinovic, and Vice President of Content, Paul Verna. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how the world鈥檚 largest online retailer is weathering tariffs so far, the biggest takeaway from Prime Day, and why Amazon鈥檚 AI future could be wearables. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst, Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss why Ms. Yaccarino left X, the expectations for its advertising business in the short and long term, and how realistic its chances are of becoming an 鈥渆verything app鈥�. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Jasmine Enberg, and Analyst, Marisa Jones. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss Reddit鈥檚 most interesting recent development, if Snap鈥檚 emphasis on attention can help it bounce back, and whether Reddit can earn a permanent seat at the table for bigger brand budgets. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Jasmine Enberg, and Senior Analyst, Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how to best decide who to partner with, the right conditions for a successful store-in-a-store relationship, how to approach long-term partnerships versus one-off collaborations. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and guest host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President of Content, Suzy Davidkhanian, and the Founder and CEO of Mack Weldon, Brian Berger. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what to make of Meta鈥檚 鈥楽uperintelligence Labs鈥� unit, the unconventional ways young people are using Instagram, and the potential sleeping giant of WhatsApp鈥檚 ads. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Jasmine Enberg, and Senior Analyst, Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what AI Overviews are doing to search behavior, some potential new business models for the internet, and how much 鈥淎I slop鈥� might encourage folks to decrease their time on the web. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Analyst, Grace Harmon, and the CEO and Founder of CMO Huddles, and host of the Renegade Marketers Unite podcast, Drew Neisser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss if Google is actually fending off the AI search competition, what its AI Overviews are doing to search behavior, and why growing AI search usage might not necessarily translate into a booming ad business. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the biggest discrepancy by device with regards to where we spend our time versus how many ad dollars are aimed there, why social players want to take a page from YouTube鈥檚 CTV playbook, and why sub OTT鈥檚 unusual path to advertising has created major misalignments. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Principal Forecasting Writer, Ethan Cramer-Flood, and Senior Analyst, Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss our 鈥榲ery specific, but highly unlikely鈥� predictions for the future of digital in 2026 and beyond. Why browsers will become the new AI battleground, what does it mean if agentic AI doesn鈥檛 take over shopping, and can GenAI actually lead to more of the jobs it can easily destroy? Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, Principal Analyst, Sara Marzano, and Vice President of Content, Paul Verna. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how YouTube is ahead in the video streaming wars, if Netflix鈥檚 next wave of content can keep audiences鈥� attention, and how much these new Netflix House locations might move the needle. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Analyst, Marisa Jones, and Vice President of Content, Paul Verna. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what 鈥渁uthentic storytelling鈥� looks like in practice, surprising findings about the authenticity levels between print and digital, and what鈥檚 most important when it comes to a 鈥渂rand鈥檚 handshake.鈥� Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Vice President of Brand Marketing at Quad, Heidi Waldusky. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how retail media is impacting traditional search marketing, and how marketers can best leverage themselves on the wave of new retail media network platforms. Then, we break down how AI tools will affect the future of paid search advertising. Join our conversation with guest host and Director of Reports Editing, Rahul Chadha, Principal Analyst, Sarah Marzano, and Senior Analyst, Max Willens. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.