Watch your numbers drop.

Edison Research's study of country radio music listeners, recently presented at CRS (lotsa Flash on this site), contains some "interesting" trend numbers for country stations--their listeners, thought to be 'way behind the curve with new tech (too busy going to square dances in their gun-rack equipped pickups?) are now tech savvy. And, I would add, this can be taken as a glimpse of what's happening with other non-rock music lovers. Here's a quote from the Web article:

Among the most significant findings was the dramatically increased usage of iPods and the Internet to sample and discover Country music. Twenty-eight percent of the sample reported iPod usage, a significant increase from last year's figure of just 15%. Among those who indicated they were listening less to Country radio, the number one reason was time spent with iPods or Internet music sources. Additionally, the percentage of respondents who turn to the Internet to hear music unavailable on the radio rose from 28% to 33%, and the percentage turning to iPods or downloadable music doubled from 8% to 16%.

Here's the whole article, where you can download a PDF copy of the study, too. Surely there aren't any radio guys who've been dragging their feet on streaming and podcasts--besides the country guys--are there?