Real Influence Sounds Different - SiriusXM Media Built with Audio

By Laura Erdem

Disclosure: I was invited by SiriusXM to attend their Built with Audio event which was an incredible night celebrating how audio is shaping real influence. The full on-demand presentation is available here.

The moment I walked into SiriusXM’s "Built with Audio" event, I knew it was going to sound different. 

The sound hit first.

Not just the volume, but the energy.

Music pulsed through the space.

People laughed and connected.

Everywhere you turned, someone was in conversation about creativity, culture, or the future of influence.

By the end of the night, one thing was undeniable: 

Influence doesn’t just look different - it sounds different.

From Reach to Real Connection

Traditional influencer marketing used to mean counting followers and chasing impressions. But as SiriusXM highlighted in its Audio Powers the Creator Economy insights, the real shift today is from reach to connection.

Audio isn’t just background noise: it’s personal, chosen, and trusted. People listen while they drive, work out, cook dinner, or wind down at night. It’s a part of their lives. That means brands that show up in audio meet audiences in their most authentic moments.

Listeners spend roughly 21% of their media time with audio, yet brands allocate only 4% of budgets there. That gap is a missed opportunity! And a signal for the brands that are ready to show up and build loyalty through sound. 

The Largest, Most Connected Audio Ecosystem

What truly impressed me was the scale of what SiriusXM has created. With 170 million listeners across SiriusXM, Pandora, and SoundCloud, it’s now the largest ad-supported audio network in the US, reaching one in two Americans aged 18+.

That kind of reach is powerful, but also very heavily focused on its precision. As detailed in SiriusXM Media: The Largest, Most Addressable Audio Ecosystem, SiriusXM connects creators, advertisers, and data across platforms. Their tech capabilities make campaigns measurable, adaptable, and genuinely personal. This isn’t about broadcasting messages into the air, it’s about crafting stories that resonate. 

Creators are the Gatekeepers of Culture

The night brought together some of the most recognizable voices in modern media: Alex Cooper, Kelly Ripa, Andy Cohen, Tinx, and many others—all showing how creators are the new gatekeepers of culture.

Alex Cooper spoke about thinking like a marketer and maintaining authenticity by listening to her audience. Tinx shared how honesty (and a bit of humor) keeps her connection strong. And Kelly Ripa admitted she feels “naked” on radio because audio strips away visuals and forces you to connect through voice alone.

Those conversations revealed something I see every day in B2B sales, too: People buy from and believe in people they actually trust. Audio builds that trust in a way no other medium can.  Side note: I did buy the cashmere sweater Tinx casually mentioned on stage! (It’s arriving tomorrow)

When Sound Moves Through You

Then came the pure fun. 

A DJ set, incredible energy, and a live performance by Mumford & Sons that quite literally made the floor vibrate. The sound wasn’t just heard—it was felt.

Every beat reinforced the night’s message: Audio connects us on a deeper level. It’s emotion, storytelling, and influence wrapped in one.

My Takeaway

SiriusXM’s Built with Audio wasn’t just an event, it was a strong message for the future of brand storytelling. An ecosystem that empowers creators and brands to co-create moments that audiences start to care about. A reminder that real influence is built through sound—through voice, emotion, and authenticity.

Because when you build with audio, you’re not just speaking to people—you’re speaking with them.

Experience the Built with Audio show

Watch the on-demand video here.