Radio Still Dominates Ad-Supported Audio Landscape

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, July 30, 2025 | 9:25am CT

Nielsen

Despite the rise of digital platforms and changing consumer habits, traditional radio continues to dominate the ad-supported audio landscape in the U.S., according to The Record, a quarterly report produced by Nielsen and Edison Research.

The Q2 2025 edition of The Record reveals that Americans spent an average of 3 hours and 50 minutes per day consuming audio across all platforms, including radio, podcasts, streaming services, and satellite radio -- both ad-supported and ad-free. Ad-supported platforms accounted for 64% of total audio listening time, compared to 74% of all TV viewing, which also occurred on ad-supported services.

Within the ad-supported audio space, AM/FM radio commanded the lion's share of daily listening at 64%, followed by podcasts at 19%, streaming audio at 14%, and satellite radio at just 3%.

Listening preferences continue to differ significantly by age. Among listeners aged 35 and older, radio claimed a dominant 71% share of daily ad-supported audio consumption. In contrast, younger audiences aged 18-34 spent less time with radio (45%), leaning more heavily into podcasts, which made up 32% of their listening compared to just 15% among older listeners.

The report also includes format-specific data, tracking the top 15 AM/FM formats and breaking down listening by demographics, platform (broadcast vs. digital stream), and age group.

Nielsen highlighted the importance of audio in media planning, especially given the continued high return on investment (ROI) it delivers. The company's 2025 Global Annual Marketing Survey found that radio holds the second-highest ROI among global media channels -- trailing only social media -- despite frequently being undervalued by marketers.

With its broad reach, consistent performance across demographics, and efficiency in delivering advertising messages, audio remains a key part of the cross-channel marketing mix, the report concludes.