CRM Study Finds Afternoon Drive Gains Momentum

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, June 29, 2026 | 3:22pm CT

Crowd React Media

Afternoon drive is emerging as radio's fastest-growing daypart as listening habits continue to evolve, according to Crowd React Media's newly released State of Media 2026 report. Based on a survey of 1,094 U.S. adults conducted in March and April, the study found one-third of Americans now identify afternoons as their primary radio listening period, a 21% increase over the past three years.

Meanwhile, morning drive remains radio's largest daypart, with four in 10 Americans saying they primarily listen in the morning, although that figure has declined by 12 percentage points since 2024.

The report says afternoon listening has become increasingly valuable because while overall cume during the daypart has dipped slightly, the audience that remains is more loyal. "The afternoon drive audience is getting smaller in raw numbers but more committed," the report notes, suggesting broadcasters should view the shift as a quality signal rather than simply a loss of audience.

Radio also showed renewed strength in traditional listening environments. Listening while working climbed to 30% from 21% a year ago, while listening during exercise increased to 31% from 25%, prompting the report to conclude that "the commute and the gym are back as radio contexts."

Overall, radio's weekly reach edged up to 76% of U.S. adults in 2026 from 75% last year. At the same time, the medium's conversion rate-the percentage of listeners who use radio frequently-slipped by just one-half percentage point to 40%, a far smaller decline than experienced by most competing media platforms. Crowd React says that stability has become one of radio's biggest competitive advantages as consumers spend less time engaging with algorithm-driven media.

The study found radio listening sessions have remained remarkably consistent for three consecutive years, with roughly 40% of listeners continuing to spend between 30 minutes and an hour during a typical listening occasion. Crowd React argues that consistency reflects a durable listening habit at a time when usage of many digital platforms has softened.

The report also challenges conventional assumptions about younger audiences. Forty percent of adults ages 18-34 said local content is a reason they listen to radio-more than listeners age 55 and older. Crowd React called the finding one of the study's most actionable insights, suggesting the demographic broadcasters most want to attract is also the one most motivated by local programming. The report's executive summary similarly notes that younger adults value local radio more than older listeners do.

News/Talk radio also continues to play an important role in consumers' media habits. Twenty-one percent of respondents said they frequently use News/Talk radio for news, trailing online news sites (43%) and cable or streaming television (42%), but ahead of YouTube and podcasts. The research found Americans typically consume news during two daily peaks-56% in the morning and 49% in the evening-underscoring the importance of those dayparts for news publishers and broadcasters.

The report also highlights radio's growing multiplatform presence among younger consumers. Among listeners ages 18-34, 70% use traditional AM/FM radio, while 45% also listen through mobile apps, 36% via desktop streaming and 22% on smart speakers. Crowd React argues that broadcasters should focus on preserving the listening experience regardless of how audiences access their content, concluding that "the listening occasion is the thing worth protecting, not the transmission method."

Download the report here.