In Their Ear: Audio That Motivates Asian American Audiences

Now that we’ve identified the ways brands can authentically connect with Asian American audiences, it’s time to hit the dance floor with the tunes and voices that move them and highlight the opportunities that brands have to reach them.

Tap Into Asian American Pride Through Music

From electronic beats to pop melodies, Asian American listeners have a wide range of musical preferences. And we found that 66% say music connects them to their culture. Brands can build stronger, more authentic relationships with consumers by showing their appreciation for their diverse taste in genres and aligning with their values. 

Connect with Listeners on Pandora

Asian Americans’ taste in music is as diverse as the community. No matter if your listeners are jamming to K-pop or R&B, brands have the ability to plug into the music destinations that resonate most with this audience through sponsored stations. 

Pandora creates tailored audiences, allowing advertisers to align with content that attracts them. Our sponsored stations blend hand-curated musicologist expertise with the personalization of the music genome and listener thumbs. When brands sponsor Pandora stations, they gain 100% share of voice. And with such a vast taste in music, you’re bound to meet them no matter the mood. 

Check out the genres that over index on Pandora.

Set the Scene on SoundCloud

SoundCloud takes the lead on musical innovation, creating space for artists to break barriers, blend sounds, and create new and unique genres. This platform serves as a launchpad for the next generation of musicians to set trends and deliver fresh music, much like some of today’s biggest musicians who started on SoundCloud. It’s also home to many Asian American artists from a wide range of genres, no matter if it's K-pop or jazz. 

When it comes to trending genres on SoundCloud, K-house and Punjabi Hip-Hop are at the top of the list. South Korea has embraced the pulsing dance tunes of EDM and combined it with the sensational sound of house, creating a new genre, K-house. In the past two years, we’ve seen the genre's listenership grow by 40%, and it’s set to continue growing in popular cities like Atlanta and beyond. And what do you get when you combine the rich culture of Punjab with the contemporary beats of Hip-Hop? Punjabi Hip-Hop, and it has grown 20% on SoundCloud in the last year. 

Advertisers looking for ways to reach this audience on SoundCloud can turn to Promoted Tracks, where brands are at the center of teen music discovery. By spotlighting emerging artists on SoundCloud, brands play an influential role in introducing emerging talent. With a focus on play rates, we’ve set the benchmark at 1.3%, meaning brand messages get heightened potential for effectiveness and engagement on their promoted content. Plus, 85% of 13-17 year olds share music on their phones. Making Promoted Tracks the bridge between your brand and the vibrant listeners sharing their favorite songs on SoundCloud.

Noteworthy Artists Dominating Across Music Genres

• Peggy Gou - A Berlin-based DJ whose unique electronic sound combines influences from her Korean heritage and European electronic scene.

• ZHU - A San Francisco-based, Chinese-American EDM and dance-pop DJ who breaks the mold with his melodic house anthems.

• Jungkook - A South Korean singer and songwriter who made it on Gold House 2024 A100 list, naming him one of the “100 Asian Pacific leaders” with the most significant impact in American Culture and society.

• Laufey - An Icelandic-Chinese Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who brings a jazz-influenced, traditional pop style into the 21st century with soothing songs.

Pressing Play on Podcasts 

Interest in podcasts has steadily increased over the last decade, and engagement in the medium shows no signs of plateauing in the future. For Asian Americans, podcasts perfectly align with their eclectic interests, ranging in topics from technology to traditional storytelling. And 89% of Asian American podcast listeners say they listen to multiple different podcast shows in a day or week. This allows brands the opportunity to engage directly with Asian American audiences but they should keep in mind: listeners are looking for collaboration with diverse voices, creators, and artists—61% of listeners to be specific.

With 52% of listeners preferring podcasts that delve into culturally relevant discussions, this is a direct invitation for brands to contribute to the rich landscape of podcasts and offer content that resonates with Asian American audiences’ complex and diverse identities and interests.

Check out some of the over indexing genres on podcasts:

• Society & Culture

• News

• True Crime

• Comedy

• TV & Film

SiriusXM Media is home to Asian American voices that delve into the topics and conversations that really matter to their audiences. And 45% of Asian Americans value hosts and guests that share their cultural background. Use tools like our Asian American Culture Predictive Audience segment from Comscore, which gives your brand better, more precise targeting that reaches listeners of Asian ethnicity and allows you to craft culturally relevant ads in the right place. 

Get Connected With SiriusXM Media 

We’re not just home to the #1 ad-supported audio platform, we have the content and voices Asian American audiences crave. Plus our targeting, creative, and expertise helps brands craft messages that make a real impact on Asian Americans. Ready to reach this diverse, influential audience? Let’s chat.