We know heavy audio listeners go out of their way to tune into AM/FM and streaming, but where will radio find the casual listener? Edison Research’s latest Share of Ear study looks at where audio is most heard by light listeners – and it gives an advantage to radio.
The Share of Ear studies how Americans aged 13 and older engage with audio throughout their day. The data categorizes listeners into two groups based on their daily engagement: heavy listeners and light listeners. As the average daily listening time is four hours, heavy listeners are defined as those who spend more than that with audio.
These individuals primarily listen at home (59%), in their cars or trucks (21%), and at work (16%), with a smaller percentage (4%) listening in other locations.
In contrast, light listeners – those who spend one hour or less per day with audio – predominantly listen in their vehicles, with 60% of their audio time spent in cars or trucks. 52% of the light listeners engage with audio exclusively while driving.
For radio stations and advertisers, optimizing for the in-car audio experience could be key to capturing the attention of light listeners.
The car was long been a bastion for radio. New data from Audacy, derived from four surveys conducted between 2021 and 2023, underscores the continued importance of audio in the connected car environment, with traditional radio maintaining a dominant role in vehicular audio consumption. Despite advancements in vehicle technology, two-thirds of drivers still prefer AM/FM radio over music streaming services, and there’s a growing interest in voice-activated features, with 45% of respondents desiring them in their next vehicle.
Previous Share of Ear findings challenged the assumption that Gen Z and Millennials have abandoned AM/FM radio for streaming services. Contrary to popular belief, 53% of this demographic still tunes into radio daily, predominantly through in-car listening. Notably, 56% of these younger listeners use the radio exclusively in their vehicles.
In Q3 2023, radio’s share of in-car listening time has surged to its highest point in eight years. The proportion of over-the-air radio listening climbed by 13%, accounting for 45% of total listening time, a figure that aligns with pre-COVID levels from Q4 2019.
For more detailed data on the demographic breakdown of these listener segments or to subscribe for further insights, visit the Edison Research website.
