AM/FM Radio Streaming Tops Spotify, Pandora in New Study

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, May 19, 2025 | 2:09pm CT

Cumulus Media and Westwood One

A new analysis from Edison Research's Q1 2025 "Share of Ear" study reveals significant gains for AM/FM radio streaming, which now surpasses both Spotify and Pandora in ad-supported audio share. The findings, published by Cumulus Media | Westwood One's Audio Active Group, highlight five key takeaways that advertisers and media planners should consider when designing digital audio campaigns.

Since 2017, AM/FM radio streaming has steadily grown its share among adults 18+, climbing from 6% to 8%. In comparison, ad-supported Spotify and Pandora each hold a 5% share -- down from Pandora's 9% lead in 2017.

One of the standout trends is the dominance of at-home listening. A remarkable 74% of AM/FM radio streaming occurs at home, compared to 65% for Spotify. "The 'at-home' listening aspect of AM/FM radio streaming is exciting, since we often strive to target our campaign audiences while they're at home," said Erik White, VP of Performance Digital at Cumulus Media.

The study also underscores the value of combining over-the-air and streaming radio buys. Edison reports that 6% of AM/FM listeners only consume content via streaming, and another 10% listen through both platforms. Among streaming audiences, one-third exclusively stream, making the addition of AM/FM radio streaming essential for boosting both reach and frequency.

Spoken word formats such as News/Talk and Sports also show strong gains via streaming. Among adults 25-54, these formats account for 28% of AM/FM radio streaming -- 2.4 times higher than their 12% share in traditional listening. News/Talk, for instance, holds a 15.4% share on streaming compared to 6.7% over-the-air. Sports streaming is also strong with a 12.5% share, more than double its broadcast figure.

Perhaps most surprising is the strength of spoken word programming among younger audiences. Among listeners aged 18-34, News/Talk and Sports claim a combined 19.6% share of AM/FM streaming -- 2.6 times higher than their overall spoken word share. Sports alone boasts a 9.9% share in this demo, nearly triple its over-the-air 3.5% share. News/Talk follows closely at 9.7%, compared to 3.9% over-the-air.

The findings challenge traditional assumptions about audio consumption and age demographics, positioning AM/FM streaming -- especially in spoken word formats -- as a potent tool for reaching audiences both young and old.

Read the entire blog post here.