Study: AM/FM Radio Dominates Among GM Drivers

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, June 15, 2026 | 3:24pm CT

Cumulus Media | Westwood One

A new analysis from Cumulus Media and Westwood One's Audio Active Group finds that AM/FM radio remains the dominant audio platform among General Motors drivers, highlighting its value for automakers and dealers seeking to reach both loyal customers and owners of competing brands.

In this week's blog post, Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer for Cumulus Media and Westwood One, examined newly released data from Edison Research's first-quarter 2026 "Share of Ear" study, which measures Americans' audio consumption habits across platforms and listening environments.

The report comes as General Motors continues to post industry-leading customer loyalty numbers. According to S&P Global Mobility, approximately 68% of GM owners who purchase or lease another vehicle remain within the Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, or Buick family. The company recently earned S&P Global Mobility's Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer award for the 11th consecutive year.

Given those loyalty levels, Bouvard argues that it is critical for GM national, regional, and dealer advertising campaigns to effectively reach existing GM owners as well as drivers of competing brands.

The study found that GM drivers devote 90% of their in-car ad-supported audio listening time to AM/FM radio, making it by far the dominant audio medium while commuting and running errands. Across all listening locations-including home, work, vehicle, and other settings-AM/FM radio accounted for a 71% share of ad-supported audio consumption among GM drivers.

Podcasts ranked a distant second with a 13% share, followed by ad-supported Pandora at 8%, Spotify at 5%, SiriusXM at 3%, and YouTube Music at 1%.

The analysis also found that AM/FM radio is a powerful medium for reaching drivers of competing automotive brands. Across all vehicle owners, AM/FM radio captured an 83% share of in-car ad-supported audio listening, providing what the report describes as a significant opportunity for conquest marketing aimed at attracting customers from rival manufacturers.

Additional findings from MRI-Simmons Winter 2026 data indicate that heavy AM/FM radio listeners are among the most likely consumers to be in the market for a vehicle purchase. AM/FM radio ranked first among major media platforms in purchase intent for trucks, SUVs, and hybrid or electric vehicles, while also performing strongly among consumers considering used vehicles, sedans, and minivans.

The findings are based on Edison Research's "Share of Ear" study, which surveys approximately 4,000 Americans annually to measure daily audio consumption across broadcast radio, streaming audio, podcasts, satellite radio, and other platforms.

Read the entire blog post here.