AM/FM Still Dominates Audio Reach, Study Finds

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, March 30, 2026 | 11:34am CT

Cumulus Media | Westwood One

A new blog from Cumulus Media and Westwood One's Audio Active Group argues that advertisers who rely solely on streaming and podcasts are missing a significant portion of the U.S. audience, citing recent research from Advertiser Perceptions and Edison Research.

According to the analysis, marketers and media agencies significantly underestimate the reach of AM/FM radio while overestimating digital platforms like Spotify and Pandora. A survey of 302 marketers found perceived audience shares for Pandora and Spotify at 41%, compared to just 26% for AM/FM radio. However, Edison's Q4 2025 "Share of Ear" data shows AM/FM radio's actual audience share is far larger-more than double what advertisers believe and roughly thirteen times greater than Pandora and Spotify combined.

The report positions AM/FM radio as the dominant force in ad-supported audio, accounting for 63% of total listening. It also highlights limited overlap between platforms, noting that 89% of Americans listen exclusively to AM/FM radio on a given day, while only a small fraction engage solely with streaming services.

Digital audio's daily reach remains comparatively limited. Edison data shows that podcasts and streaming platforms together reach about 30% of Americans daily, while AM/FM radio alone reaches 58%. When combined, total audio reach climbs to 73%, underscoring radio's role in expanding audience coverage.

The blog also emphasizes radio's strength in out-of-home listening, particularly in vehicles. More than half of AM/FM listening now occurs in-car, where it commands an 83% share of ad-supported audio. This environment provides what the report describes as a "captive audience," difficult to reach through other media such as video or social platforms.

Younger demographics also show strong in-car listening habits, with 63% of AM/FM usage among adults 18-34 occurring in vehicles.

The takeaway, according to the report: advertisers cannot effectively "check the box" on audio without including AM/FM radio, which continues to deliver both scale and unique reach-especially among consumers on the path to purchase.

Read the entire blog post here.