Radio, Podcasts Dominate Ad-Supported Audio Time

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, June 3, 2026 | 11:32am CT

Nielsen

Radio and podcasts continued to dominate ad-supported audio consumption in the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 82% of all daily ad-supported listening time, according to Nielsen's latest edition of The Record, produced in partnership with Edison Research.

The quarterly report found that U.S. consumers spend nearly four hours each day with audio, with radio maintaining a strong position despite increasing competition from streaming services and other digital platforms. Only 16% of ad-supported audio listening time was spent with streaming music services during the quarter.

Nielsen said radio's share of daily listening increased across many key demographic groups compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, underscoring the medium's continued relevance for advertisers seeking large-scale audience reach.

The report highlighted News/Talk as the nation's leading radio format among adults 18 and older, posting a 10.9% share of total radio listening in the first quarter, up slightly from 10.8% in the previous quarter. Nielsen attributed the gain to heightened interest in domestic and international news events. The All News format also posted growth, increasing from a 2.7% share to 2.9%.

Adult Contemporary experienced the largest quarter-to-quarter decline, falling from an 8.4% share in the holiday-driven fourth quarter to 7.1% in the first quarter, returning closer to its typical annual performance after seasonal Christmas music programming ended.

Several major music formats remained stable or posted gains during the quarter. Country held steady with a 5.8% share, while Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) remained unchanged at 4.3%. Among listeners ages 18-34, Classic Hits increased from a 5.1% share to 5.4%, Hot Adult Contemporary rose from 4.9% to 5.6%, and Alternative climbed from 3.8% to 4.2%.

Formats targeting Black and Hispanic audiences also showed strength. Urban AC/R&B maintained a 5.1% share among adults 18 and older, while Urban Contemporary/Hip-Hop/R&B increased from 2.7% to 2.8% overall and from 4.6% to 4.8% among adults 18-34. Mexican Regional radio grew from a 3.0% share to 3.1% overall and from 3.4% to 3.6% among younger listeners.

Nielsen concluded that radio continues to command the largest share of ad-supported audio listening in the U.S., with podcasts serving as a complementary platform that together reaches the vast majority of daily audio consumers. The company noted that advertisers relying solely on streaming audio are missing a significant portion of the available ad-supported audience.

Read Nielsen's entire The Record post here.